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basking shark picture

 

Not just Shark Pictures: Elasmodiver contains photos of sharks, skates, rays, and chimaera's from around the world. It began as a simple web based field guide to help divers find the best places to encounter different species of sharks and rays but it has slowly evolved into a much larger project containing information on all aspects of shark diving and photography. There are now more than a thousand shark pictures  and sections on shark evolution, biology, and conservation. There is a large library of reviewed shark books, a constantly outdated shark taxonomy page, a monster list of shark links, and deeper in the site there are numerous articles and stories about shark encounters. Elasmodiver is now so difficult to check for updates, that new information and pictures are listed on an Elasmodiver Updates Page that can be accessed here:

WHAT'S NEW?

Shark picture - green sawfish

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ELASMODIVER EXPANDED

If you're looking for a broader range of marine life pictures the following links represent a new area that contains pictures on other marine organisms and on marine habitats. This expansion of Elasmodiver is in its first stages but will eventually include pages on everything from sea stars to nudibranches. Creating this portal will take time and for now it consists of a token offering of fish pictures. Please return regularly to enjoy the progress.

 

FISH PICTURES

 

 

 

  

SHARK PICTURES AND INFORMATION - SHARKS AND RAYS OF THE WORLD

Shark Pictures

 

The latest additions / updates to Elasmodiver

Another species added to the Elasmodiver Field Guide and the Shark Picture database. This time it's the (not so) Common Angel Shark from the Canary Islands 23/06/08

Common Angel Shark Species Profile

Common Angel Shark Pictures

California Swell Shark Picture

Elasmodiver Shark Stories

New Story added to the Elasmodiver Article Section 23/03/08

Tracking down the resting place of the slowly disappearing California Swell Shark

The Swell Shark's Last Stand

Roughtail stingray and diversRead the current Elasmodiver Elasmo-blog

Back to Canada

New ElasmoBlog - 16/09/08

 

The Elasmodiver Shark and Ray Field Guide

shark picture - a sandtiger shark photographed from below.

 

Sharks and rays are amazing creatures. They inspire many emotions among divers, fishermen, movie watchers, aquarium visitors, surfers, and anyone else who has the chance to interact with them. The emotions that they conjure up in us include  awe, fear, delight, repulsion, excitement, curiosity and terror but the one thing that sharks rarely inspire is boredom or indifference. Why they engender such strong feelings among us varies from a primordial fear of large predators to a respect for their incredible abilities and a deep appreciation of their power and grace. What ever reason you have for your interest in sharks and for visiting Elasmodiver, I hope you enjoy all the shark pictures and information that is contained here and that you take away and pass on a renewed desire to help these incredible creatures survive in an increasingly hostile environment.

 

Thank you for visiting Elasmodiver,

Andy Murch - Shark Photographer and Web Master

 ORDER TORPEDINIFORMES  TORPEDO RAYS, COFFIN RAYS, ELECTRIC RAYS & SLEEPER RAYS

Family NARCINIDAE - Electric rays

Family HYPNIDAE - Coffin rays

Bullseye Electric Ray

Cortez Electric Ray

Lesser Electric Ray

 

Coffin Ray or Numb Ray

BULLS-EYE ELECTRIC RAY - Diplobatus ommata

CORTEZ ELECTRIC RAY - Narcine entemedor 

LESSER ELECTRIC RAY - Narcine brasiliensis

COFFIN RAY - Hypnos monopterygium

 ORDER MYLIOBATIFORMES  WHIPTAIL STINGRAYS, ROUND STINGRAYS AND STINGAREES, DEEPWATER STINGRAYS, FRESHWATER STINGRAYS, BUTTERFLY RAYS, SIXGILL STINGRAYS, EAGLE RAYS, COWNOSE RAYS & DEVIL RAYS

Family DASYATIDAE - Whiptail Stingrays    The biology and behavior of Whiptail Stingrays

Whiptail Stingray Diagram

Bluntnose Stingray

Diamond Stingray

Longtail Stingray

Southern Stingray

Whiptail Stingray biology and behavior

BLUNTNOSE STINGRAY - Dasyatis sayi

DIAMOND STINGRAY - Dasyatis dipterura

LONGTAIL STINGRAY - Dasyatis longus

SOUTHERN STINGRAY - Dasyatis americana

Thorntail Stingray

Shorttail Stingray

Roughtail Stingray

Blue Spotted Stingray

atlantic stingray picture

THORNTAIL STINGRAY - Dasyatis thetidis

SHORTTAIL STINGRAY - Dastatis brevicaudata

ROUGHTAIL STINGRAY - Dasyatis centroura

BLUE SPOTTED STINGRAY - Dasyatis kuhlii 

ATLANTIC STINGRAY - Dasyatis sabina

Common Stingray

Blue Spotted Fantail Ray

Marble Stingray

Jenkins Whipray Picture

Cowtail Stingray or Feathertail Stingray

COMMON STINGRAY - Dasyatis pastinaca

BLUESPOTTED RIBBONTAIL RAY - Taeniura lymma

MARBLED RIBBONTAIL RAY - Taeniura meyeni

JENKINS' WHIPRAY - Himantura jenkinsii

COWTAIL STINGRAY - Hypolophus sephen


Family POTAMOTRYGONIDAE - River stingrays   The biology and evolution of River Stingrays
River Stingray diagram Potamotrygon castexi Rosette River Stingray picture    

River Stingray Biology, Behavior, and Evolution

VERMICULATE RIVER STINGRAY - Potamotrygon castexi

ROSETTE RIVER STINGRAY - Potamotrygon schroederi

   

Family UROLOPHIDAE - Round stingrays and stingarees

Cortez Round Stingray

Round Stingray

Yellow Stingray

Bullseye Stingray

Kapala Stingaree

CORTEZ ROUND STINGRAY - Urobatis maculatus

ROUND STINGRAY - Urobatis halleri

YELLOW STINGRAY - Urobatis jamaicensis

BULLSEYE STINGRAY - Urobatis concentricus

KAPALA STINGAREE - Urolophus sp. (kapalae)

Sinclairs Stingaree

Spotted Stingaree

Common Stingaree

Masked Stingaree

Striped Stingaree

SINCLAIR'S STINGAREE - Urolophus sp.

SPOTTED STINGAREE - Urolophus gigas

COMMON STINGAREE - Trygonoptera testacea

MASKED STINGAREE - Trygonoptera personata

STRIPED STINGAREE - Trygonoptera ovalis


Family MYLIOBATIDAE - Eagle rays


Family MOBULIDAE - Devil rays

Spotted Eagle Ray

Southern Bat Ray

Manta Ray

Bentfin Devil Ray

SPOTTED EAGLE RAY - aetobatus narinari

SOUTHERN BAT RAY - Myliobatis australis

CALIFORNIA BAT RAY - Myliobatis californicus

MANTA RAY - Manta birostris

BENTFIN DEVIL RAY - Mobula thurstoni


Family RHINOPTERIDAE - Cownose Rays

Atlantic Cownose Ray

       

ATLANTIC COWNOSE RAY - Rhinoptera bonasus

         

 ORDER RAJIFORMES  SKATES

Family RAJIDAE - Skates

Big Skate

Winter Skate

Longnose Skate

Thornback Skate

Little Skate Leucoraja erinacea

BIG SKATE - Raja binoculata

WINTER SKATE - Raja ocellata

LONGNOSE SKATE -

Raja rhina 

THORNBACK SKATE -

Raja clavata

LITTLE SKATE - Leucoraja erinacea

         

 ORDER RHINOBATIFORMES  SHARKFIN GUITARFISHES, GUITARFISHES & THORNBACK RAYS

Family RHINOBATIDAE

Guitarfishes

 

Family PLATYRHINIDAE

Thornback Rays

Banded Guitarfish Picture Eastern Shovelnose Ray   Thornback Ray

SHOVELNOSE GUITARFISH - Rhinobatos productos

BANDED GUITARFISH - Zapteryx exasperata

EASTERN SHOVELNOSE RAY Aptychotrema rostrata

 

THORNBACK RAY

platyrhinoidis triseriata

 ORDER PRISTIFORMES  SAWFISH

Family PRISTIDAE - Sawfishes

Smalltooth Sawfish

green sawfish

   

SMALLTOOTH SAWFISH - Pristis pectinata 

GREEN SAWFISH - Pristis zijsron

FRESHWATER SAWFISH - Pristis microdon

   

 ORDER HEXANCHIFORMES  SIXGILL, SEVENGILL & FRILLED SHARKS

Family HEXANCHIDAE- Six and seven gilled sharks

Sixgill Shark

Broadnose Sevengill Shark

     

BLUNTNOSE SIXGILL SHARK - Hexanchus griseus

BROADNOSE SEVENGILL SHARK - Notorhynchus cepedianus

     
 

 ORDER ORECTOLOBIFORMES  ZEBRA SHARKS, WHALE SHARKS, BAMBOO AND EPAULETTE SHARKS, BLIND SHARKS, NURSE SHARKS, WOBBEGONG SHARKS & CARPET SHARKS

STEGOSTOMATIDAE

Zebra sharks

RHINCODONTIDAE Whale sharks  

Family GINGLYMOSTOMATIDAE

Nurse sharks

Zebra Shark

Whale Shark

 

Nurse Shark

Tawny Nurse Shark

ZEBRA SHARK - Stegostoma fasciatum

WHALE SHARK - Rhincodon typus

 

NURSE SHARK - Ginglymostoma cirratum

TAWNY NURSE SHARK - Nebrius ferrugineus

Family HEMISCYLLIIDAE

Bamboo and Epaulette sharks

 

Family BRACHAELURIDAE

Blind Sharks

Specled Epaulette Shark

White Spotted Bamboo Shark

 

Blind Shark Picture

 

SPECKLED EPAULETTE SHARK - Hemiscyllium trispeculare

WHITE SPOTTED BAMBOO SHARK - Chiloscyllium plagiosum

 

BLIND SHARK - Brachaelurus waddi

 

Family ORECTOLOBIDAE - Wobbegong sharks

Banded Wobbegong picture

Dwarf Ornate Wobbegong picture

Wards Wobbegong Shark

 

BANDED WOBBEGONG - Orectolobus halei

DWARF ORNATE WOBBEGONG - Orectolobus ornatus

SPOTTED WOBBEGONG - Orectolobus maculatus

WARDS WOBBEGONG - Orectolobus wardi

 

Tasseled Wobbegong Shark

Cobbler Wobbegong Shark

     

TASSELLED WOBBEGONG - Eucrossorhinus dasypogon

COBBLER WOBBEGONG - Sutorectus tentaculatus

     

 ORDER SQUALIFORMES  DOGFISH SHARKS, SLEEPER SHARKS, BRAMBLE SHARKS, LANTERN SHARKS, ROUGH SHARKS, KITEFIN SHARKS, GULPER SHARKS & BIRDBEAK SHARKS

Family SQUALIDAE

Dogfish sharks

Family SOMNIOSIDAE

Sleeper sharks

 

 

 

Spiny Dogfish Shark

     

SPINY DOGFISH - Squalus acanthias

GREENLAND SHARK - Somniosus microcephalus

     
         

 ORDER LAMNIFORMES  MACKERAL SHARKS, SANDTIGER SHARKS, BASKING SHARKS, THRESHER SHARKS, MEGAMOUTH SHARKS & GOBLIN SHARKS

Family LAMNIDAE

Mackeral sharks

ODONTASPIDIDAE

Sandtiger sharks

CETORHINIDAE

Basking sharks

great white shark picture

Shortfin Mako Shark Picture

Sandtiger Shark Picture

Basking Shark

GREAT WHITE SHARK - Carcharodon carcharias

SHORTFIN MAKO SHARK - Isurus oxyrinchus

PORBEAGLE SHARK - Lamna nasus

 SANDTIGER SHARK - Carcharias taurus

BASKING SHARK - Cetorhinus maximus

         

 ORDER CARCHARHINIFORMES  HAMMERHEADS, REQUIEM SHARKS, SMOOTHHOUND SHARKS & CATSHARKS

Family SPHYRNIDAE - Hammerhead sharks

Great Hammerhead Shark

Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

Bonnethead Shark

   

GREAT HAMMERHEAD - Sphyrna mokarran

SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD - Sphyrna lewini

BONNETHEAD SHARK - Sphyrna tiburo

   

Family CARCHARHINIDAE - Requiem sharks

Blacknose Shark

Blacktip Shark

Blue Shark

Bull Shark

Caribbean Reef Shark

BLACKNOSE SHARK - Carcharhinus acronotus

BLACKTIP SHARK - Carcharhinus limbatus

BLUE SHARK - Prionace glauca

BULL SHARK - Carcharhinus leucas

CARIBBEAN REEF SHARK - Carcharhinus perezi

Dusky Shark

Galapagos Shark

Lemon Shark

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Sandbar Shark

DUSKY SHARK - Carcharhinus obscurus

GALAPAGOS SHARK - Carcharhinus galapagensis

LEMON SHARK - Negaprion brevirostris

OCEANIC WHITETIP SHARK - Carcharhinus longimanus

SANDBAR SHARK - Carcharinus plumbeus

Silky Shark

Silvertip Shark

Tiger Shark

Whitetip Reef Shark

 

SILKY SHARK - Carcharinus falciformis

SILVERTIP SHARK - Carcharhinus albimarginatus

TIGER SHARK -Galeocerdo cuvier 

WHITETIP REEF SHARK - Triaenodon obesus

 

Family TRIAKIDAE - Smoothhound Sharks

       

LEOPARD SHARK - Triakis semifasciata

       

Family SCYLIORHINIDAE - Catsharks

Lesser Spotted Catshark

California Swell Shark

     

LESSER SPOTTED CATSHARK - Scyliorhinus canicula

CALIFORNIA SWELL SHARK - Cephaloscyllium ventriosum

     

 ORDER HETERODONTIFORMES  BULLHEAD SHARKS

Family HETERODONTIDAE - Bullhead sharks

Horn Shark

Port Jackson Shark

     

CALIFORNIA HORN SHARK - Heterodontus fransisci

PORT JACKSON SHARK - Heterodontus portusjacksoni

     
         

 ORDER SQUATINIFORMES  ANGEL SHARKS

Family SQUATINIDAE - Angel Sharks

     
COMMON ANGEL SHARH - Squatina squatina

PACIFIC ANGEL SHARK - Squatina californica

     

 ORDER CHIMAERIIFORMES  CHIMAERAS & ELEPHANTFISHES

Family CHIMAERIDAE - shortnose chimaeras

Spotted Ratfish

       

SPOTTED RATFISH - Hydrolagus colliei

       
         

USE OF PICTURES

All pictures are the property of Andy Murch or other contributing photographers. No pictures may be copied or reproduced without prior consent. If you wish to acquire high resolution images for commercial purposes please contact Elasmodiver.

feedback@elasmodiver.com

All available pictures of sharks and rays are listed in THE SHARKIVE

ELASMOBLOG

 

Back to Canada

June 16th 2008

 

Just when I though I had my summer nailed down it looks like the Mediterranean is not going to work out. After a great trip to the Canaries to shoot sharks and rays, we returned to Palma to look for work on the yachts but this year the med season is starting slowly. I'm not much of a sit around and wait kind of guy so we decided to head back to Canada to work on Vancouver Island over the summer.

This involves flying to Toronto with my girlfriend Claire to where my camper is being stored, hopefully seeing my boys Aron and Luke if they have time and then starting an epic road trip back to British Columbia. I'm a bit worried that my ailing camper van won't make it over the rockies but as they say "nothing ventured, nothing gained".

The pay off will be a long hot summer on the island working hard and chasing sharks and skates. It has been too long since we got to hang out with old friends, mountain bike, climb and all the other things that you just can't do when you're on the road with no luggage space for toys other than cameras and dive gear.

I will run at least one photography workshop while we're there so if anyone is interested in tweaking their underwater shooting skills, please send me an email.

We haven't even arrived there yet but I am already figuring out where we can go next to get some new shark pictures while we're in the north west. A whole summer with nothing new to shoot would be too frustrating! So, I am looking into a trip to shoot Salmon Sharks in Alaska. I expect that it will be frustrating, cold and fraught with unforeseen difficulty just like the trip I did last summer to shoot Porbeagle Sharks in the Bay of Fundy. If you enjoy a challenge and you're interested in joining me on a trip fitting this description please let me know.

Other plans include an expedition with Eli from SDM to look for Oceanic Whitetip Sharks in the Bahamas and then sometime in the fall Claire and I are heading down to Mexico to shoot Mexican Bullhead Sharks and possibly Pacific Sharrpnose Sharks.

Lots of plans, lots of time, not much of a budget but enough of an obsession to make it happen regardless.

For the sharks,

Andy Murch

 

A quick trip to the Canary Islands

June 10th 2008

 

I have just returned from the Canary Islands. It was a good trip for shark and ray pictures. Thanks to a couple of very helpful dive shops I managed to return with five new species for Elasmodiver and much better images of the Roughtail Stingray that I previously had only one fuzzy shot of. Not bad for five days of diving. I will eventually load a page for each of the dive centres and the encounters that they facilitate but for now I want to at least give them a quick plug. They are:

Davey Jones Diving in Arinaga, Gran Canaria. These guys can find Angel Sharks at times of the year when other operators cant. Brian (the owner) is an eagle eyed guide and keen naturalist with a knack for finding Angels under the sand. His store has been instrumental in collecting shark info for an ongoing university study.

Los Gigantes Dive Centre in Los Gigantes, Tenerife. Neville (the owner) has been operating a ray feed since 1996. The by-weekly feed attracts 3 to 6 species of rays and sometimes also brings in Angel Sharks. Neville and his staff went out of their way to help us chase down the rays that we were looking for.

Thanks to both dive centres for all your help!

 

For the Sharks,

Andy Murch

Read the previous shark blogs in the Elasmoblog Archives


Andy is a freelance shark photographer and the Staff Photographer at Shark Diver Magazine. He is also the Creator of Elasmodiver.com which is one of the largest sources of information about sharks and rays on the internet.

 

 

 

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