Crocodile Shark
Pseudocarcharias kamoharai
- Least concern
- Card rarity: Common
- Sharks and rays
The crocodile shark is a species of mackerel shark and the only extant member of the family Pseudocarchariidae. A specialized inhabitant of the mesopelagic zone, the crocodile shark can be found worldwide in tropical waters from the surface to a depth of 590 m (1,940 ft). It performs a diel vertical migration, staying below a depth of 200 m (660 ft) during the day and ascending into shallower water at night to feed. Typically measuring only 1 m (3.3 ft) in length, the crocodile shark is the smallest living mackerel shark. It can be distinguished by its elongated cigar-shaped body, extremely large eyes, and relatively small fins.
Classification
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Lamniformes
- Family
- Pseudocarchariidae
- Genus
- Pseudocarcharias