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Mackerel Sharks. Order Lamniformes |
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Page 2 of 4 Characteristics of Mackeral SharksOrder Lamniformes  Sandtiger Shark (Carcharias taurus). Illustration: R. Aidan Martin # of Species
| 15 | Body shape
| Rounded. Range from 3.6 feet (Crocodile Shark) to 32 feet (Basking Shark) | Mouth position
| Underneath (subterminal), extends well past eyes | Anal fin
| Yes | Dorsal Fin
| 2 | Fin spines
| No | # of Gill slits
| 5 | Reproduction
| Ovoviviparous (eggs developing in the female's body with no placenta and born alive). Some species are oviphagous (fetuses eat unfertlized eggs). Sandtiger pups will feed on siblings in-utero. | Unique qualities
| "lamnoid dental pattern" in many species: large anterior teeth, smaller intermediate, large laterals and smaller posteriors. | Habitat
| Marine; coastal to open-ocean; cold temperate to tropical , Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans | Food
| Fish, squid, up to sea mammals. 2 species filter plankton |
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