Japanese topeshark

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iJapanese topeshark
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Triakidae
Genus: Hemitriakis
Species: H. japanica
Binomial name
Hemitriakis japanica
(Müller & Henle, 1839)

The Japanese topeshark, Hemitriakis japanica, is a hound shark of the family Triakidae found in the subtropical northwest Pacific from China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan between latitudes 40° N and 21° S. Its length is up to 1.1 m.

The Japanese topeshark occurs close inshore and offshore down to at least 100 m in depth. It presumably feeds on small fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans. It is utilized for human consumption.

Its reproduction is ovoviviparous, with 8 to 22 pups in a litter, and size at birth about 20 to 21 cm.

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