Category: Sharks

Sevengill Shark

Cow Sharks: Family Hexanchidae Species: Notorynchus cepedianus (Perón, 1807); from the Greek roots noto (back) and r(h)ynchos (snout); and the Latin cepidianus (spotted). Small sevengill from the Berkeley Pier Alternate Names: Broadnose sevengill shark, cow shark, spotted cow shark, mud shark, bluntnose shark, broad-snout, sevengill,…

Brown Smoothhound Shark

Smoothhounds: Family Triakididae Species: Mustelus henlei (Gill, 1863); from the Latin word mustelus (weasel colored) and henlei (referring to Professor J. Henle, a 19th Century biologist). Class Chondrichthyes, Subclass Elasmobranchii, Superorder Galea, Order Carcharhiniformes, Family Triakidae—Hound sharks. Alternate Names: Sand shark, mud shark, paloma, dogfish…

Gray Smoothhound Shark

Smoothhounds: Family Triakididae Species: Mustelus californicus from the Latin words mustela (weasel-colored) and californicus referring to its geographic distibution. Alternate Names: Gray shark, sand shark, mud shark, paloma, or dogfish. Called cazón mamón in Mexico. Early names included dog-shark and oil-shark. Identification: Very similiar to…

Horn Shark

Bullhead Sharks: Family Heterodontidae Species: Heterodontus francisci (Girard, 1855); from the Greek hetero (different) and odont (tooth) and the Latin francisci (referring to San Francisco). (They have a small pointed tooth at the front of their jaw and a blunt tooth at the rear.) Alternate…