The great white shark, also known as the great white, white shark or white pointer, is a species of large mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The great white shark is notable for its size, with larger female individuals growing to 6.1 m (20 ft) in length and 1,905 kg (4,200 lb) in weight at maturity. However, most are smaller; males measure 3.4 to 4.0 m, and females measure 4.6 to 4.9 m on average. According to a 2014 study, the lifespan of great white sharks is estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, well above previous estimates, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known. According to the same study, male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, while the females take 33 years to be ready to produce offspring. Great white sharks can swim at speeds of over 56 km/h (35 mph), and can swim to depths of 1,200 m (3,900 ft).
Flake is a term used in Australia to indicate the flesh of any of several species of small shark, particularly the gummy shark. The term probably arose in the late 1920s when the large-scale commercial shark fishery off the coast of Victoria was established. Until that time, shark was generally an incidental catch rather than a targeted species.
Sawfishes, also known as carpenter sharks, are a family of rays characterized by a long, narrow, flattened rostrum, or nose extension, lined with sharp transverse teeth, arranged in a way that resembles a saw. They are among the largest fish with some species reaching lengths of about 7–7.6 m (23–25 ft). They are found worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions in coastal marine and brackish estuarine waters, as well as freshwater rivers and lakes.
The Bahamas sawshark, Pristiophorus schroederi, is a sawshark of the family Pristiophoridae, found in the western Central Atlantic Ocean from the Bahamas and Cuba at depths of between 400 and 1,000 m. These sharks are at least 80 cm long.
The shortnose sawshark or southern sawsharkPristiophorus nudipinnis, is a sawshark of the family Pristiophoridae. The body of this shark is slightly compressed, and its rostrum is narrow. The two dorsal fins are almost identical in size. In color, the dorsal side of this sawshark tends to be uniformly slate gray, with few or no markings. The ventral side is pale white or cream. Females reach around 124 cm (49 in) long, and males reach around 110 cm (43 in) long. These sharks can live to be up to 9 years old.
The Japanese sawshark is a species of sawshark in the family Pristiophoridae. This shark has a long, narrow rostrum. Its first dorsal fin originates behind the tips of the pectoral fins, and its caudal fin is angled almost straight in line with the body. The Japanese sawshark reaches a maximum length of up to 1.36 m.
The longnose sawshark or common sawshark is a sawshark of the family Pristiophoridae.
The sixgill sawshark, Pliotrema warreni, the only member of the genus Pliotrema, is a sawshark of the family Pristiophoridae. Presence of 6 pairs of gill slits highlights this genus among sharks; outside Hexanchiformes order, Pliotrema is the only shark with more than 5 gill slits. Unlike other sawsharks, the barbs on this shark's rostrum continue onto the sides of the head. Its barbels are also closer to its mouth than in other species. At maximum, females can reach over 136 cm long, and males can reach over 112 cm long.
The longcomb sawfish, narrowsnout sawfish or green sawfish is a species of sawfish in the family Pristidae, found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific. It has declined drastically and is now considered a critically endangered species.
The Australian angelshark is a species of angelshark, family Squatinidae, found in the subtropical waters of southern Australia from Western Australia to New South Wales between latitudes 18°S and 41°S, at depths down to 255 m (840 ft). Its length is up to 1.52 m (5 ft). Reproduction is ovoviviparous, with up to 20 pups in a litter.
In taxonomy, an undescribed taxon is a taxon that has been discovered, but not yet formally described and named. The various Nomenclature Codes specify the requirements for a new taxon to be validly described and named. Until such a description has been published, the taxon has no formal or official name, although a temporary, informal name is often used. A published scientific name may not fulfil the requirements of the Codes for various reasons. For example, if the taxon was not adequately described, its name is called a nomen nudum. It is possible for a taxon to be "undescribed" for an extensive period of time, even if unofficial descriptions are published.
Pristiophorus is a genus of sawsharks found in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Members of this genus differ from the Sixgill Sawshark (Pliotrema warreni) in having five gill slits. Their rostral sawteeth lack prominent transverse ridges on the basal ledges, and the large teeth are not posteriorly serrated.
The tropical sawshark, Pristiophorus delicatus, is a recently described species of sawshark, family Pristiophoridae, formerly known in literature as Pristiophorus sp. B. It is endemic to northeastern Australia, found on the upper continental slope off Queensland from south of the Samaurez Reef, at a depth of 246–405 meters (807–1,329 ft). Its specific epithet delicatus is Latin for "delicate", referring to the fine teeth on its saw-like rostrum.
Pristiophorus nancyae, the African dwarf sawshark or dwarf sawshark, is a sawshark of the family Pristiophoridae. The species was discovered in 2011 when a specimen was caught off the coast of Mozambique at a depth of 1,600 ft (490 m).
Pristiophorus striatus is an extinct species of sawshark in the genus Pristiophorus. It existed in what is now Slovakia during the Miocene epoch, and was described by Charlie J. Underwood and Jan Schlogl in 2012.
The Lana's sawshark or Philippine sawshark, Pristiophorus lanae, is a sawshark of the family Pristiophoridae, found in the Philippines off Apo Island and southern Luzon at depths of between 230 and 590 m. Its length is up to 73 cm.
Squalomorphii is a superorder of cartilaginous fishes, generally characterized by lacking traits such as an anal fin, nictitating membrane, or suborbital shelves in the cranium. Also called squalea, or squalean sharks. There are about 163 living species in 11 families. Squalean sharks are divided into four orders: the Hexanchiformes, Squaliformes, Squatiniformes, and Pristiophoriformes.
