River sharks | |
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Speartooth shark (G. glyphis) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Chondrichthyes |
Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
Order: | Carcharhiniformes |
Family: | Carcharhinidae |
Genus: | Glyphis Agassiz, 1843 |
Type species | |
Carcharias (Prionodon) glyphis Müller & Henle, 1839 |
The river sharks are five rare species of shark in the genus Glyphis, although, due to their secretive habits, other species could easily remain undiscovered. Their precise geographic range is uncertain, but the known species are documented in parts of South and Southeast Asia and Australia. The river sharks are members of the family Carcharhinidae, and thus share the basic characteristics of the group. The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is sometimes called both the river shark and the Ganges shark; it should not be confused with the true river sharks of Glyphis.