Kingdom Animalia Scientific name Echinorhinus Higher classification Echinorhinidae Order Squaliformes | Superorder Selachimorpha Phylum Chordata Rank Genus Subclass Elasmobranchii | |
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Family Echinorhinidae
T. N. Gill, 1862 Lower classifications Bramble shark, Prickly shark |
Echinorhinus is the only extant genus in the family Echinorhinidae.
Contents
Taxonomy
![Echinorhinus Echinorhinus brucus Bramble shark](https://alchetron.com/cdn/echinorhinus-343d92e4-8d6d-466e-85da-1279be72f20-resize-750.jpeg)
While some scientists have proposed that the Echinorhinidae be given an order separate from Squaliformes, the general current consensus is that the Echinorhinidae are still a family in the order Squaliformes.
Etymology
The name is from Greek echinos meaning "spiny" and rhinos meaning "nose".
Species
Description
![Echinorhinus ralok trnit Echinorhinus brucus Bramble shark raloci rejnoci](https://alchetron.com/cdn/echinorhinus-811b8f7b-afcf-4b21-b2a9-d4ee3e63bcf-resize-750.jpeg)
This genus includes two extant species of uncommon, little-known sharks. Both species are relatively large sharks, at 3.1 to 4.0 m (10.2 to 13.1 ft) in body length. They are characterized by a short nose and by rough, thorn-like dermal denticles scattered over its body, some of which may be fused together. They have no anal fin. Two small spineless dorsal fins are positioned far back.
Biology
![Echinorhinus FileEchinorhinus brucus Mc Coyjpg Wikimedia Commons](https://alchetron.com/cdn/echinorhinus-1eefc6df-4cf9-4932-acf2-0d60438d72b-resize-750.jpg)
They are ovoviviparous, with the mother retaining the egg-cases inside her body until they hatch, producing litters up to 24 pups. They feed on smaller sharks, smaller bony fish, and on crabs and cephalopods.
Distribution
These sharks are found worldwide in cold temperate to tropical seas from the surface down to 900 m (3,000 ft).
![Echinorhinus FileEchinorhinus brucus Gervaisjpg Wikimedia Commons](https://alchetron.com/cdn/echinorhinus-6db493de-9ef6-47b3-8402-c39fd64228c-resize-750.jpg)
![Echinorhinus Echinorhinus](https://alchetron.com/cdn/echinorhinus-b176775b-797b-491c-947a-d9209d8db9d-resize-750.jpeg)
![Echinorhinus FileEchinorhinus brucus1jpg Wikimedia Commons](https://alchetron.com/cdn/echinorhinus-a0409bbf-474f-4e73-9a2f-2fb2693a29d-resize-750.jpg)