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Lamnidae

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The Lamnidae are the family of mackerel sharks known as white sharks.[2] They are large, fast-swimming predatory fish found in oceans worldwide, though prefer environments with colder water. The name of the family is formed from the Greek word lamna, which means "fish of prey", and was derived from the Greek legendary creature, the Lamia.[3]

These sharks have pointed snouts, spindle-shaped bodies, and large gill openings. The first dorsal fin is large, high, stiff and angular or somewhat rounded. The second dorsal and anal fins are minute. The caudal peduncle has a couple of less distinct keels. The teeth are gigantic. The fifth gill opening is in front of the pectoral fin and spiracles are sometimes absent. They are powerful, heavily built sharks, sometimes weighing nearly twice as much as other sharks of comparable length from other families. Many sharks in the family are among the fastest-swimming fish, although the massive great white shark is slower due to its large size.

Genera and species

The family contains five living species in three genera and these selected extinct genera and species:[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Lamnidae" in FishBase. January 2009 version.
  2. ^ McEachran, J.; Fechhelm, J.D. (1998). Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, Vol. 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. Austin: University of Texas Press. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-292-75206-1. OCLC 38468784. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  3. ^ ISBN 9781258302863: A source-book of biological names and terms, 1944, Edmund Carroll Jaeger
  • Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Lamnidae" in FishBase. March 2006 version.
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Lamnidae: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

The Lamnidae are the family of mackerel sharks known as white sharks. They are large, fast-swimming predatory fish found in oceans worldwide, though prefer environments with colder water. The name of the family is formed from the Greek word lamna, which means "fish of prey", and was derived from the Greek legendary creature, the Lamia.

These sharks have pointed snouts, spindle-shaped bodies, and large gill openings. The first dorsal fin is large, high, stiff and angular or somewhat rounded. The second dorsal and anal fins are minute. The caudal peduncle has a couple of less distinct keels. The teeth are gigantic. The fifth gill opening is in front of the pectoral fin and spiracles are sometimes absent. They are powerful, heavily built sharks, sometimes weighing nearly twice as much as other sharks of comparable length from other families. Many sharks in the family are among the fastest-swimming fish, although the massive great white shark is slower due to its large size.

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Distribution

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Distribution: global. Large sharks with pointed snouts and spindle-shaped bodies. Large gill openings. First dorsal fin large, high, erect and angular or somewhat rounded. Second dorsal and anal fins minute. Caudal peduncle with a distinct keel; large teeth; fifth gill opening in front of pectoral fin; spiracle sometimes absent. Maximum length up to 6.4 m or more. Fast swimming predators. Some are maneaters. Ovoviviparous without a yolk-sac placenta but with uterine cannibalism.

Reference

MASDEA (1997).

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Edward Vanden Berghe [email]