Conservation
The sand tiger shark is managed by the Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (FMP). However, sand tiger sharks have also been used for fishmeal and oil (from its liver), and its fins are used for the Asian sharkfin trade. Sand tigers are very susceptible to fishery exploitation because they aggregate in large numbers during the mating season at particular coastal spots. These aggregations have been targeted in the past by fisheries.
The sand tiger shark is a U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service species of concern. Species of Concern are those species about which the U.S. Government"s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, has some concerns regarding status and threats, but for which insufficient information is available to indicate a need to list the species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Species
The family contains four species, in two genera:
- Genus Carcharias
- Sand tiger shark, Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810[4]
- Indian sand tiger, Carcharias tricuspidatus Day, 1878[5]
- Genus Odontaspis
- Smalltooth sand tiger or bumpytail raggedtooth, Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810)[6]
- Bigeye sand tiger, Odontaspis noronhai (Maul, 1955)[7]
References
1. ^ a b Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Odontaspididae" in FishBase. January 2009 version.
2. ^ http://www.gma.org/fogm/Carcharias_tarus.htm
3. ^ Grzimek"s Animal Life Encyclopedia
Sand shark