Sharks and rays (elasmobranchs) are an amazing group of animals that have
evolved over hundreds of millions of years into the diverse assemblage that
we have today. They have adapted to thrive in virtually every saltwater
body large enough to accommodate them. Some have even managed to overcome
the problems associated with living in freshwater and colonized the
great rivers of the tropics.
Please
enjoy all of the shark pictures and information contained on our ever expanding
database of shark and ray species and 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 Creator of
Elasmodiver.com
CEO
and Trip Leader at
Big Fish Expeditions
Founder of the
Predators in Peril Project
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LATEST ADDITIONS TO THE SHARK AND RAY DATABASE: |
SICKLEFIN LEMON SHARK -
Negaprion acutidens
Added 9/2/20 |
PACIFIC NURSE SHARK -
Ginglymostoma unami
Added 9/4/19 |
RABBITFISH
Chimaera monstrosa
Added 15/12/18 |
BLACKMOUTH CATSHARK
Galeus melastomus
Added 12/12/18 |
VELVET BELLY
LANTERNSHARK
Etmopterus spinax
Added 11/12/18
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SELACHIMORPHA:
SHARKS
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ORDER CARCHARHINIFORMES HAMMERHEADS,
REQUIEM SHARKS, SMOOTHHOUND SHARKS & CATSHARKS
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Family SPHYRNIDAE - Hammerhead sharks |
SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD -
Sphyrna lewini |
SCOOPHEAD SHARK -
Sphyrna
media |
GREAT HAMMERHEAD -
Sphyrna mokarran |
BONNETHEAD SHARK -
Sphyrna tiburo |
SMOOTH HAMMERHEAD SHARK -
Sphyrna
zygaena |
Family CARCHARHINIDAE - Requiem sharks |
BLACKNOSE SHARK -
Carcharhinus acronotus |
SILVERTIP SHARK -
Carcharhinus albimarginatus |
GREY REEF SHARK -
Carcharhinus amblyrhychos |
BRONZE WHALER SHARK -
Carcharhinus brachyurus |
SPINNER
SHARK -
Carcharhinus brevipinna |
SILKY SHARK -
Carcharhinus falciformis |
GALAPAGOS SHARK -
Carcharhinus galapagensis |
BULL
SHARK -
Carcharhinus leucas |
BLACKTIP
SHARK - Carcharhinus limbatus |
OCEANIC WHITETIP
SHARK -
Carcharhinus longimanus
|
BLACKTIP REEF SHARK -
Carcharhinus melanopterus |
DUSKY SHARK -
Carcharhinus
obscurus |
CARIBBEAN
REEF SHARK -
Carcharhinus perezi
|
SANDBAR SHARK -
Carcharinus plumbeus |
TIGER SHARK -Galeocerdo cuvier |
LEMON SHARK -
Negaprion brevirostris |
SICKLEFIN LEMON SHARK -
Negaprion acutidens |
BLUE
SHARK -
Prionace glauca |
PACIFIC SHARPNOSE SHARK -
Rhizoprionodon longurio |
ATLANTIC SHARPNOSE SHARK -
Rhizoprionodon terraenovae |
WHITETIP REEF SHARK -
Triaenodon obesus |
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Family TRIAKIDAE - Houndsharks and Smoothhound Sharks |
TOPE SHARK -
Galeorhinus galeus |
GREY SMOOTHHOUND - Mustelus
californicus |
DUSKY SMOOTHHOUND -
Mustelus canis |
BROWN SMOOTHHOUND - Mustelus
henlei |
STARSPOTTED SMOOTHHOUND - Mustelus manazo |
GULF SMOOTHHOUND -
Mustelus
sinusmexicanus |
SPOTTED GULLY SHARK -
Triakis Megalopterus |
BANDED HOUNDSHARK -
Triakis scyllium |
LEOPARD SHARK -
Triakis semifasciata |
|
Family SCYLIORHINIDAE - Catsharks |
BROWN CATSHARK -
Apristius brunneus |
CORAL CATSHARK -
Atelomycterus marmoratus |
BLOTCHY SWELL SHARK -
Cephaloscyllium umbratile |
CALIFORNIA SWELL
SHARK -
Cephaloscyllium ventriosum |
BLACKMOUTH CATSHARK - Galeus melastomus |
TIGER CATSHARK -
Halaelurus natalensis |
PUFFADDER SHYSHARK -
Haploblepharus edwardsii |
DARK SHYSHARK -
Haploblepharus pictus |
FILETAIL CATSHARK -
Parmaturus xaniurus |
PYJAMA SHARK -
Poroderma africanum |
LEOPARD CATSHARK -
Poroderma pantherinum |
REDSPOTTED CATSHARK -
Schroederichthys chilensis |
LESSER
SPOTTED CATSHARK -
Scyliorhinus canicula |
WHITESADDLED CATSHARK -Scyliorhinus
hesperius |
CHAIN
CATSHARK - Scyliorhinus retifer |
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ORDER HETERODONTIFORMES
BULLHEAD SHARKS |
Family
HETERODONTIDAE - Bullhead sharks
|
CALIFORNIA HORN
SHARK - Heterodontus fransisci |
JAPANESE BULLHEAD SHARK -
Heterodontus japonicus |
PORT
JACKSON SHARK -
Heterodontus portusjackson |
GALAPAGOS
BULLHEAD SHARK - Heterodontus quoyi |
ZEBRA BULLHEAD SHARK
- Heterodontus zebra |
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ORDER HEXANCHIFORMES
SIXGILL, SEVENGILL & FRILLED SHARKS
|
Family HEXANCHIDAE- Six and seven gilled sharks |
BLUNTNOSE
SIXGILL SHARK -
Hexanchus griseus |
ATLANTIC BIGEYE SIXGILL SHARK -
Hexanchus vitulus |
BROADNOSE
SEVENGILL SHARK - Notorhynchus cepedianus |
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ORDER LAMNIFORMES MACKERAL SHARKS,
SANDTIGER SHARKS,
BASKING SHARKS, THRESHER SHARKS, MEGAMOUTH
SHARKS & GOBLIN SHARKS |
Family LAMNIDAE - Mackeral sharks
|
Family CETORHINIDAE - Basking sharks |
GREAT WHITE SHARK
-
Carcharodon carcharias |
SHORTFIN MAKO SHARK -
Isurus
oxyrinchus |
SALMON SHARK -
Lamna ditropis |
PORBEAGLE SHARK - Lamna nasus |
BASKING SHARK -
Cetorhinus maximus |
Family ODONTASPIDIDAE -Sandtiger sharks |
|
Family ALOPIIDAE - Thresher sharks
|
SANDTIGER
SHARK - Carcharias taurus |
SMALLTOOTH SANDTIGER -
Odontaspis ferox |
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PELAGIC THRESHER
SHARK -
Alopias pelagicus |
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ORDER ORECTOLOBIFORMES ZEBRA
SHARKS, WHALE SHARKS, BAMBOO AND EPAULETTE SHARKS, BLIND SHARKS, NURSE SHARKS,
WOBBEGONG SHARKS & CARPET SHARKS |
Family GINGLYMOSTOMATIDAE - Nurse sharks |
Family BRACHAELURIDAE - Blind Sharks |
NURSE SHARK -
Ginglymostoma cirratum |
PACIFIC NURSE SHARK -
Ginglymostoma unami |
TAWNY NURSE SHARK -
Nebrius ferrugineus |
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BLIND SHARK -
Brachaelurus waddi |
RHINCODONTIDAE
Whale sharks |
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STEGOSTOMATIDAE
Zebra sharks |
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WHALE SHARK -
Rhincodon typus |
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ZEBRA SHARK
-
Stegostoma fasciatum |
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Family
HEMISCYLLIIDAE - Bamboo and Epaulette sharks |
ARABIAN BAMBOO SHARK - Chiloscyllium arabicum |
WHITESPOTTED BAMBOO SHARK -
Chiloscyllium plagiosum |
BROWNBANDED BAMBOO SHARK -
Chiloscyllium punctatum |
RAJA AMPAT
EPAULETTE SHARK - Hemiscyllium freycineti |
HALMAHERA EPAULETTE SHARK -
Hemiscyllium halmahera |
TRITON BAY
EPAULETTE SHARK -
Hemiscyllium henryi |
SPECKLED EPAULETTE SHARK -
Hemiscyllium trispeculare |
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Family ORECTOLOBIDAE
- Wobbegong sharks |
TASSELLED
WOBBEGONG - Eucrossorhinus dasypogon |
BANDED
WOBBEGONG -
Orectolobus halei |
JAPANESE WOBBEGONG -
Orectolobus japonicus |
SPOTTED WOBBEGONG -
Orectolobus maculatus |
ORNATE WOBBEGONG - Orectolobus ornatus |
WARDS
WOBBEGONG - Orectolobus wardi |
COBBLER WOBBEGONG -
Sutorectus tentaculatus |
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ORDER SQUALIFORMES DOGFISH SHARKS,
SLEEPER SHARKS, BRAMBLE SHARKS, LANTERN SHARKS, ROUGH SHARKS, KITEFIN SHARKS,
GULPER SHARKS & BIRDBEAK SHARKS
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Family SQUALIDAE - Dogfish sharks |
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ROUGHSKIN SPURDOG -
Cirrhigaleus asper |
SPINY DOGFISH -
Squalus acanthias |
CUBAN DOGFISH -
Squalus cubensis |
JAPANESE SPURDOG -Squalus
japonicus |
SHORTNOSE SPURDOG -
Squalus megalops |
PACIFIC SPINY DOGFISH
-
Squalus
suckleyi |
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Family CENTROPHORIDAE - Gulper Sharks |
Family ETMOPTERIDAE - Lantern Sharks |
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Family
SOMNIOSIDAE - Sleeper
sharks |
BLACKFIN
GULPER SHARK -
Centrophorus
isodon |
VELVET
BELLY LANTERNSHARK - Etmopterus spinax
|
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GREENLAND SHARK -
Somniosus microcephalus |
PACIFIC SLEEPER SHARK -
Somniosus pacificus |
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ORDER
SQUATINIFORMES
ANGEL SHARKS |
Family
SQUATINIDAE - Angel Sharks
|
EASTERN AUSTRALIAN ANGEL SHARK -
Squatina albipunctata |
PACIFIC ANGEL SHARK - Squatina
californica |
ANGULAR ANGELSHARK -
Squatina guggenheim |
JAPANESE ANGELSHARK - Squatina japonica |
COMMON ANGEL SHARK -
Squatina squatina |
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BATOIDEA: RAYS |
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
CHARACTERISTICS |
SMOOTH
STINGRAY - Bathytoshia brevicaudata |
ROUGHTAIL
STINGRAY - Bathytoshia centroura |
BROWN
STINGRAY -
Bathytoshia lata |
BLUE STINGRAY -
Dasyatis chrysonota |
COMMON STINGRAY
- Dasyatis pastinaca |
SUN RAY - Heliobatis
radians |
RED STINGRAY -
Hemitrygon akejei |
RETICULATE WHIPRAY - Himantura uarnak |
LEOPARD
WHIPRAY - Himantura undulata |
SOUTHERN STINGRAY -
Hypanus americana |
DIAMOND STINGRAY -
Hypanus dipteruras |
LONGNOSE STINGRAY - Hypanus
guttatas |
LONGTAIL STINGRAY -
Hypanus longus |
ATLANTIC
STINGRAY - Hypanus sabinas |
BLUNTNOSE
STINGRAY - Hypanus say |
ARABIAN BANDED WHIPRAY - Maculabatis randalli |
BLUE
SPOTTED STINGRAY - Neotrygon
caeruleopunctata |
EASTERN COWTAIL STINGRAY - Pastinachus atrus |
COWTAIL STINGRAY -
Pastinachus sephen |
TAHITIAN STINGRAY
-
Pateobatis fai |
JENKINS' WHIPRAY -
Pateobatis jenkinsii |
PELAGIC STINGRAY -
Pteroplatytrygon violacea |
MANGROVE WHIPRAY - Urogymnus granulatus |
ROUND STINGRAY -
Taeniura grabatus |
BLUESPOTTED FANTAIL RAY -
Taeniura lymma |
BLOTCHED STINGRAY - Taeniurops meyeni |
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Family POTAMOTRYGONIDAE - Neotropical River
Stingrays
The biology and
evolution of River Stingrays |
RIVER STINGRAY CHARACTERISTICS |
VERMICULATE RIVER STINGRAY
-
Potamotrygon castexi |
MOTORO RIVER STINGRAY -
Potamotrygon motoro |
ROSETTE RIVER STINGRAY -
Potamotrygon schroederi |
ATLANTIC CHUPARE STINGRAY - Styacura schmardae |
Family UROTRYGONIDAE - Round stingrays
of the Americas |
BULLSEYE STINGRAY -
Urobatis concentricus |
ROUND STINGRAY -
Urobatis halleri |
YELLOW STINGRAY -
Urobatis jamaicensis |
CORTEZ ROUND STINGRAY -
Urobatis maculatus |
LEOPARD ROUND
STINGRAY - Urobatis pardalis |
ROGERS ROUNDRAY -
Urotrygon rogersi |
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Family UROLOPHIDAE - Stingarees of
the Indo-Pacific Region |
STRIPED STINGAREE -
Trygonoptera ovalis |
MASKED STINGAREE - Trygonoptera personata |
COMMON STINGAREE -
Trygonoptera testacea |
SEPIA STINGRAY -
Urolophus
aurantiacus |
CIRCULAR STINGAREE -
Urolophus circularis |
SPOTTED STINGAREE -
Urolophus gigas |
KAPALA
STINGAREE -Urolophus kapalensis |
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Family GYMNURIDAE - Butterfly Rays |
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Family
PLATYRHINIDAE - Thornback Rays |
SPINY BUTTERFLY RAY
-
Gymnura altavela |
JAPANESE BUTTERFLY RAY -
Gymnura japonica
|
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THORNBACK RAY
Platyrhinoidis triseriata |
YELLOWSPOTTED FANRAY -
Platyrhina tangi |
Family AETOBATIDAE - Eagle Rays |
WHITESPOTTED EAGLE RAY
-
Aetobatus narinari |
PACIFIC SPOTTED EAGLE RAY-
Aetobatus laticeps |
SPOTTED EAGLE RAY
-
Aetobatus ocellatus |
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Family MYLIOBATIDAE -
Bat Rays |
COMMON EAGLE RAY -
Myliobatis aquila |
SOUTHERN BAT RAY -
Myliobatis australis |
CALIFORNIA
BAT RAY - Myliobatis californicus |
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Family MOBULIDAE - Devil rays |
MANTA RAY -
Manta birostris |
REEF MANTA RAY -
Manta alfredi |
ATLANTIC DEVILRAY -
Mobula hypostoma |
MUNK'S DEVIL RAY -
Mobula munkiana |
BENTFIN DEVIL RAY -
Mobula thurstoni |
Family
RHINOPTERIDAE - Cownose Rays |
ATLANTIC COWNOSE RAY
- Rhinoptera bonasus |
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ORDER PRISTIFORMES SAWFISH
|
Family PRISTIDAE - Sawfishes |
FRESHWATER SAWFISH -
Pristis
microdon |
SMALLTOOTH
SAWFISH
-
Pristis pectinata |
GREEN SAWFISH - Pristis zijsron |
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ORDER RAJIFORMES
SKATES, SMOOTH SKATES, GUITARFISHES, BOWMOUTH GUITARFISHES &
WEDGEFISHES
|
Family RAJIDAE - Skates |
THORNY SKATE -
Ambyraja radiata |
BARNDOOR SKATE -
Dipturus
laevis |
LITTLE SKATE -
Leucoraja erinacea |
SMOOTH SKATE - Malacoraja
senta |
BIG
SKATE - Raja binoculata |
THORNBACK
SKATE -
Raja clavata |
CLEARNOSE SKATE -
Raja eglanteria |
WINTER
SKATE -
Raja ocellata |
LONGNOSE
SKATE -
Raja rhina |
STARRY SKATE - Raja
stellulata |
VELEZ RAY - Raja
velezi |
SHORTTAIL FANSKATE -
Sympterygia brevicaudata |
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SUB-ORDER RHINOBATIFORMES BOWMOUTH
GUITARFISHES, SHARKFIN GUITARFISHES & GUITARFISHES |
Family RHINOBATIDAE - Guitarfishes |
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EASTERN SHOVELNOSE RAY
Aptychotrema rostrata |
HALAVI GUITARFISH - Glaucostegus halavi |
ATLANTIC GUITARFISH -
Rhinobatos lentiginosus |
GORGONA GUITARFISH - Rhinobatos
prahli |
SHOVELNOSE GUITARFISH -
Rhinobatos
productos |
YELLOW GUITARFISH -
Rhinobatos schlegelii |
BANDED GUITARFISH -
Zapteryx
exasperata |
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Family RHYNCHOBATIDAE
Sharkfin Guitarfishes |
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Family RHINIDAE
Bowmouth Guitarfishes
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WHITESPOTTED
GUITARFISH -Rhynchobatus
australiae |
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BOWMOUTH GUITARFISH -
Rhina
ancylostoma |
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ORDER
TORPEDINIFORMES:
TORPEDO
RAYS, COFFIN RAYS, ELECTRIC RAYS & SLEEPER RAYS |
Family NARCINIDAE - Electric rays
|
BULLS-EYE
ELECTRIC RAY - Diplobatus ommata |
APRON RAY
- Discopyge
tschudii |
LESSER
ELECTRIC RAY - Narcine bancrofti |
CORTEZ
ELECTRIC RAY -
Narcine entemedor |
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Family TORPEDINIDAE - Torpedo rays |
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Family NARKIDAE - Sleeper Rays |
Family HYPNIDAE - Coffin rays |
PACIFIC TORPEDO RAY -
Tetronarce californica |
MARBLED TORPEDO RAY -
Torpedo marmorata |
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JAPANESE SLEEPER RAY -
Narke japonica |
COFFIN RAY -
Hypnos monopterygium |
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HOLOCEPHALI: CHIMAERAS |
ORDER CHIMAERIIFORMES LONGNOSE
AND SHORTNOSE CHIMAERAS
& ELEPHANTFISHES
|
Family CHIMAERIDAE - shortnose
chimaeras |
SPOTTED
RATFISH -
Hydrolagus colliei |
RABBITFISH -
Chimaera monstrosa |
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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.
elasmodiver@gmail.com
All available pictures of sharks and rays are listed in
The Shark Pictures Database |
Read the previous shark blogs in the
Elasmoblog Archives
Elasmodiver's
creator
Andy Murch is a
professional wildlife photographer and the CEO of
Big Fish Expeditions. Elasmodiver.com is one of the largest
independent sources of information
about sharks and rays on the internet.
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