Horn shark: Difference between revisions

Horn shark
Heterodontus francisci
Conservation status
Data Deficient
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Order:	Heterodontiformes
Family:	Heterodontidae
Genus:	Heterodontus
Species:	H. francisci
Binomial name
Heterodontus francisci Girard, 1855

The horn shark, Heterodontus francisci, is a bullhead shark. It can reach a size of 122 cm and is brown with black spots. Its range is from central California to the Gulf of California, Mexico, and probably also in Ecuador and Peru. It is mostly nocturnal and appears sluggish in the daytime.

File:3363 aquaimages.jpg

Diver and Horn Shark, Anacapa, Channel Islands, California

. It can bite if it is harassed.

Its habitat includes rocky reefs, kelp beds, sand flats, crevices, and caverns in a depth range from 2 to 150 m. Adults tend to return to the same resting spot every day. It feeds on invertebrates, primarily sea urchins, crabs, probably abalone, and other fish.

The horn shark is oviparous, laying 12-14 cm (5 inches) long kelp-colored spiral-shaped eggs that may float up on beach shores.

References

• "Heterodontus francisci". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 18 April. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
• Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Heterodontus francisci". FishBase. February 2006 version.
• Digimorph Heterodontus Francisci