Ground sharks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ground sharks |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| The Blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus, is one of the many types of Ground Sharks. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Subclass: | |
| Superorder: | |
| Order: |
Carcharhiniformes
|
Carcharhiniformes is the biggest group of sharks, with over 270 different species. These sharks are also known as Ground sharks or Whaler sharks. You might know some of them, like the Blue shark, Bull shark, Tiger shark, and the amazing hammerhead sharks.
Ground sharks have a special eyelid called a nictitating membrane. This membrane slides over their eyes to protect them, especially when they are hunting or fighting. They also have two fins on their back (called dorsal fins), one fin underneath (an anal fin), and five gill slits on each side of their head to help them breathe underwater.
You can find Ground sharks in many different places. They live in wide open oceans, various seas, estuaries (where rivers meet the sea), and even in brackish water (water that's a mix of fresh and salty).
Types of Ground Sharks
Scientists group animals into different families based on their shared features. The Carcharhiniformes order includes eight main families of sharks:
- Carcharhinidae (These are called Requiem sharks)
- Hemigaleidae (Known as Weasel sharks)
- Leptochariidae (Called Barbeled houndsharks)
- Proscylliidae (Finback cat sharks)
- Pseudotriakidae (False cat sharks)
- Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks)
- Sphyrnidae (The famous Hammerhead sharks)
- Triakidae (Hound sharks)
Images for kids
-
Groundsharks, like this blacknose shark, have a nictitating membrane which can be drawn over the eye to protect it.
See also
In Spanish: Carcarriniformes para niños
