Leopard shark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Not to be confused with the zebra shark, Stegostoma fasciatum.
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| Triakis semifasciata Girard, 1855 |
The leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata, is a hound shark found in the coastal waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, along the coast of North America from Oregon to Baja California.
The species can grow up to 7 feet (2 m) in length, with a long, slender body and head. The distinctive markings that give the species its common name provide camouflage against dappled ground. Leopard sharks are ground feeders, eating worms, mollusks, crustaceans, octopuses, and small fish.
Leopard sharks migrate seasonally. They are ovoviviparous; the 4 to 29 young per litter gestate within the body of the female and are born live.
The sharks hunt in groups, sometimes with smooth-hound sharks. The species is actively sought by sport fishermen in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Monterey Bay for its tender, flavorful flesh. Conservationists are concerned with sport fishing of the species, which, like most sharks, reproduces slowly.
[edit] References
- Smith (2000). Triakis semifasciata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is dependent on conservation
- Triakis semifasciata (TSN 160448). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 04 March 2006.
- "Triakis semifasciata". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. Nov 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.
