The Atlantic sharpnose shark (''Rhizoprionodon terraenovae'') is a

requiem shark Requiem sharks are sharks of the family Carcharhinidae in the order Carcharhiniformes. They are migratory, live-bearing sharks of warm seas (sometimes of brackish or fresh water) and include such species as the tiger shark, bull shark, lem ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Carcharhinidae, found in the subtropical waters of the northwestern

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...

, between latitudes 43°N and 18°N.

Description

The Atlantic sharpnose shark is a small shark in comparison to others. The Atlantic sharpnose shark's maximum species length is known to be about . Although its average adult size tends to be about . Reports exist of these sharks living up to 12 years in the wild. A distinctive feature is that juveniles have black edges on the dorsal and caudal fins. Rhizoprionodon terraenovae SI2.jpg, Top view Rhizoprionodon terraenovae SI3.jpg, Head, bottom view Rhizoprionodon terraenovae jaws.jpg, Jaws Rhizoprionodon terraenovae upper teeth.jpg, Upper teeth Rhizoprionodon terraenovae lower teeth.jpg, Lower teeth

Habitat

Atlantic sharpnose sharks can be found as far north as New Brunswick, Canada, to as far south as the southern Gulf of Mexico. Reports of specimens from Brazil are likely being confused with the Brazilian sharpnose shark. Atlantic sharpnose sharks prefer to live in warmer shallow coastal waters. As they are often found in waters less than deep. Although Atlantic sharpnose reportedly were found at deep.

Feeding habits

The diet of the Atlantic sharpnose sharks mostly consists of bony fish, worms, shrimp, crabs, and mollusks. Commonly consumed fish include

menhaden Menhaden, also known as mossbunker and bunker and "the most important fish in the sea", are forage fish of the genera ''Brevoortia'' and ''Ethmidium'', two genera of marine fish in the family Clupeidae. ''Menhaden'' is a blend of ''poghaden'' ...

, eels, silversides, wrasses, jacks, toadfish, and

filefish The filefish (Monacanthidae) are a diverse family of tropical to subtropical tetraodontiform marine fish, which are also known as foolfish, leatherjackets or shingles. They live in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Filefish are closely ...

Maturation

Atlantic sharpnose sharks are born ranging from a length of . For the first three months after birth, they grow an average of per month. Then, in the winter and spring, the average growth rate decreases to per month until the shark reaches a length of , in which the shark's growth rate increases linearly about per month for about a year. Males mature at the age of 2–3 years at a length of , while females seem to mature at the age of 2.5–3.5 years old, at a length around .

Reproduction

Female Atlantic sharpnose sharks are

viviparous Among animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. This is opposed to oviparity which is a reproductive mode in which females lay developing eggs that complete their development and hatch externally from the ...

, and tend to have a litter of four to six pups, but litter size may range from one to seven pups, after a gestation period of 10–11 months. The pups are usually born at between in total length. Females are found in the marine estuaries during the late spring, but they breed mostly throughout the year.

Captivity

Generally, Atlantic sharpnose sharks are better suited for public aquaria, or very experienced private shark aquarists who are capable of caring for them. These sharks are highly active swimmers and require ample space. Also, these sharks tend to do best in small schools of at least three sharks. Tanks or ponds which are round or oval-shaped are best suited for these sharks. They have been reported to live at least 4 years in captivity.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atlantic, shark, sharpnose

Atlantic sharpnose shark The Atlantic sharpnose shark (''Rhizoprionodon terraenovae'') is a requiem shark in the family Carcharhinidae, found in the subtropical waters of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, between latitudes 43°N and 18°N. Description The Atlantic shar ...

Viviparous fish Fish of the Eastern United States Fish of the Western Atlantic