School Shark
Galeorhinus galeus
- Class
- Cartilaginous fish
- Rarity
- Epic
- Observations
- 455
- Most observed in
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- Conservation
- Critically Endangered
Description
The school shark (Galeorhinus galeus) is a houndshark of the family Triakidae, and the only living member of the genus Galeorhinus. Common names also include tope, tope shark, snapper shark, and soupfin shark. It is found worldwide in temperate seas at depths down to about 800 m (2,600 ft). It can grow to nearly 2 m (6 ft 7 in) long. It feeds both in midwater and near the seabed, and its reproduction is ovoviviparous. This shark is caught in fisheries for its flesh, its fins, and its liver, which has a very high vitamin A content. The IUCN has classified this species as critically endangered in its Red List of Threatened Species.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “School shark”.