Horn Shark
Heterodontus francisci
- Least concern
- Card rarity: Common
- Sharks and rays
The horn shark is a species of bullhead shark, in the family Heterodontidae. It is endemic to the coastal waters off the western coast of North America, from California to the Gulf of California. Young sharks are segregated spatially from the adults, with the former preferring deeper sandy flats and the latter preferring shallower rocky reefs or algal beds. A small species typically measuring 1 m (3.3 ft) in length, the horn shark can be recognized by a short, blunt head with ridges over its eyes, two high dorsal fins with large spines, and a brown or gray coloration with many small dark spots.
Classification
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Heterodontiformes
- Family
- Heterodontidae
- Genus
- Heterodontus