Sand Tiger or sometimes the grey nurse shark(Carcharias taurus = Odontaspis taurus = Eugomphodus taurus) is found on the Atlantic Coast from New England south to Argentina, near Europe, and also in the Pacific Ocean, especially near Australia. The two large dorsal fins are about the same size. The Sand Tiger can be up to ten feet in length. This species is locally common.

The Lythboes note that in the European area this is a deep water shark which occasionally comes near shallow water. They further note this shark spends most of its time swimming. Schwartz states this species is common year around in the Carolinas especially from July to November.

Odontaspis genus, Sand shark, contains some taxonomy contradictions, I.e., Odontaspis taurus has been shown as Eugomphodus taurus and as Carcharius taurus.

Sand Sharks (Family Odontaspidae) are found worldwide. These sharks have two dorsal fins of almost the same size and five gill slits. The following species are typical of the family:

Odontaspis arenarius - Gray Nurse Shark - Warm Oceans
Odontaspis taurus - Sand Tiger - Widespread
Odontaspis ferox - Bumpy Tail - Widespread
Odontaspis noronhai - Big Eye Sand Tiger - Widespread

There are contradictions regarding the placement of O. arenarius. There is also a difference of opinion as to the validity of various species.

True Shark group (Order Lamniformes) used to contain the majority of the world's species of living sharks. They were characterized by having five gill slits. Some taxonomists recognized over fifteen families in this order. However, this order has been recently divided and several families that were previously here have been moved to the ground shark order (Carchariniformes). Other families have been moved to other orders.

The Reader's Digest book on sharks has several maps showing the relative frequency of shark attacks. Naturally, in areas where there is a lot of swimming and diving you would expect a greater number of attacks. In Australia the area near Sidney and Newcastle are subject to numerous attacks. The southern coast of Papua New Guinea is also dangerous. The area near Durban, South Africa is also dangerous. In North America areas near Savanah, Georgia and Miami are also risky. Cuba is also dangerous.

Sharks and rays (Elasmobranchi), cartilaginous fishes, deserve to be a class separate from the normal fish, in that they do not have a bone skeleton but rather a cartilage skeleton.

Fertilization is internal in this class which also separates them from the bony fish class. Although there are a few fresh water species, the majority of the species in this class are found in salt water. As of 2005, there were about 500 known species of sharks and about 600 known species of rays.

David Ebert, author of a recent book on sharks, rays, and chimaeras of California, counts a total of 988 described species in the class with about 150 additional species awaiting scientific description. He breaks down the described species to 410 species of sharks, 543 species of rays, and 35 species of chimaeras.

Many species of sharks face an uncertain future, as the Chinese purchase shark fins to make shark fin soup. It was estimated that 100 milllion sharks are killed each year for this purpose. However, recent estimates indicate the Chinese are reducing their consumption of this exotic soup.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

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