Page 42 - Shark

Horn sharks

Horn sharks get their name from the two spines
on their backs next to each dorsal fin, which look
like small horns. The sharks in this group are also
called bullheads because they have broad heads with
ridges above their eyes. The shape of the head and
the presence of an anal fin distinguish horn
Practising the horn sharks from spiny dogfish,
makes perfect
which also have dorsal
spines. There are nine species of horn shark.
All are mostly less than 5 ft (1.5 m) long and are
found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, where
they live on the seabed in shallow water. Horn
sharks swim with slow beats of their tails and
push themselves along the bottom with their
pectoral fins. Port Jackson sharks can travel
long distances, covering 500 miles (850 km)
to visit their breeding sites. Because horn
sharks are slow, scuba divers sometimes
tease them by pulling their tails—they
have been known to bite back. Sadly, Pelvic fin
horn sharks are killed for their spines,
used to make jewelry (pp. 60–61).

A pair of swimming Port Jackson
sharks, which are named after an
inlet in Australia

Spine in front of
first dorsal fin
Heap of Horns
Port Jackson sharks often share the same spot on the seabed, Caudal fin
where they rest in groups during the day. Favorite rest sites
are the sandy floors of caves or channels between rocks,
which may offer some protection against currents. As
many as 16 sharks may share the same resting place. Spine of second dorsal fin
At night they become active searching for food
such as sea urchins and starfish.
Typical
spotted
Eye pattern
on skin

Side view
of horn shark Pelvic fin

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