Odontaspis


Odontaspis (from Greek: ὀδούς odoús 'tooth') and Greek: ἀσπίς aspís 'shield')[2] is a genus of sand shark with two extant species.

Bigeye sand tigers can reach a length of about 3.6 metres (12 ft) and smalltooth sand tigers of about 4.1 m.

They are large-bodied sharks with long, conical snouts, broad-based dorsal and anal fins, and an asymmetrical caudal fin with a strong lower lobe.

They are distinguished from the similar genus Carcharias by the absence of crushing posterior teeth.[4]

These bottom dwelling, deepwater sharks can be found in temperate and tropical waters of all the oceans.[4]

Fossils of Odontaspis have been found all over the world. These extinct sand sharks lived from the Cretaceous to the Quaternary periods (from 136.4 to 0.012 Ma). Fossils of these fishes have been found worldwide.[1]


The prominent cusps of one Odontaspis species (O. ferox).
Fossil teeth of Odontaspis winkleri from Khouribga (Morocco), 55-45 mya