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Sandtiger Shark
Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810)
This image shows a Sandtiger Shark (also known as Herbsts Nurse Shark), from the Australian Museum collection, registration number AMS I.38629-004, which was collected in May 1997 by K. Graham on the New South Wales Fisheries Research Vessel Kapala.
The Sandtiger Shark is superficially similar to the Greynurse Shark, but can be recognised because the first dorsal fin is noticably larger than the second. The two dorsal fins of the Greynurse Shark are of similar size. The two species can also be distinguished by the teeth. Those of the Sandtiger Shark have two to three pairs of relatively long lateral cusplets whereas those of the Greynurse Shark have a single pair of lateral cusplets.
In Australia, this species has been recorded from continental shelf and slope waters off New South Wales and north-western Australia down to a depth of 420 m. It may occur off southern Australia, however this has yet to be confirmed.
View the fact sheet for this species.
