Pristis clavata Although sawfish look like sharks, they are actually highly modified rays. The rostral ‚teeth‘ are specialized denticles. The dwarf sawfish is the smallest sawfish species, reaching 3.1 m (10 ft). Very little is known about its behavior. Order – Rhinopristiformes Family – Pris
Danger to Humans All sawfishes are harmless to humans if left undisturbed.
Ginglymostoma cirratum These bottom dwelling sharks are usually yellowish-tan to dark brown and, as adults, average around 7.5 to 8 feet long and over 200 pounds (Rosa et al. 2006). They are nocturnal, scouting the sea bottom for crustaceans, mollusks and stingrays during the night before returni
Danger to Humans Nurse sharks are not generally aggressive and usually swim away
Squalus acanthias This long, slender dogfish has a pointed snout, large eyes, and spines in front of its two dorsal fins. It is a brownish slate color, fading to a pale underbelly, with rows of white spots down its upper body that fade with age. These migratory, schooling sharks spend winters in
Danger to Humans In general, the spiny dogfish poses little if any threat to humans
Coryphaena hippurus The dolphinfish is also often called mahi-mahi, and not at all related to the marine mammal dolphins. This colorful, distinct fish has a long body and a blunt face, with a forked caudal fin (tail), and a dorsal fin that runs the length of its body. It is brightly colored, most
Danger to Humans There have been reports of ciguatera poisoning from human consumption
Carcharhinus obscurus Dusky sharks are wide-ranging coastal and pelagic species that prefer temperate to tropical waters. They are large-bodied, typically grey with dusky margins on the fins. They are an important fisheries resource, targeted and taken as bycatch around the world. Their fins are
Photo © NOAA Danger to Humans Dusky sharks are potentially dangerous due to their
Carcharhinus plumbeus This brownish-gray shark has a recognizably large and triangular dorsal fin and somewhat long pectoral fins. It averages 6 feet long and about 110-150 lbs. True to its name, this shark prefers the sandy bottoms of coastal areas, and is known for seasonal migration like many
Danger to Humans Due to its preference for smaller prey and its tendency to avoid
Sphyrna zygaena This coastal shark prefers shallow waters, and are reported to even venture in freshwater. Sporting a wide and smooth cephalophoil or „hammerhead“ this seasonal migrant is the second largest in the genus Sphyrna. Order – Carcharhiniformes Family – Sphyrnidae Genus – Sphyrna
Danger to Humans Hammerheads are considered potentially dangerous.
Lamna nasus This shark closely resembles the white and salmon sharks, but it is easy to identify the white or light gray free rear tip of its dorsal fin. It has the classic mackerel shark appearance, from its conical snout to its crescent caudal (tail) fin, and the dark grey coloring over its bod
Danger to Humans The porbeagle is a protected species in U.S. waters.
Megalops atlanticus These long fish have slightly upturned faces and soft, lobed fins, and they can grow to more than 8 feet long and over 350 pounds. From above they appear dark blue or greenish black, or even brassy if they’ve been in inland waters, but they are recognizable for their very shin
Danger to Humans Though tarpon usually spook easily and show extreme wariness when
Sphyrna mokarran The great hammerhead is the largest of the hammerheads in the family Sphyrnidae. The “hammer head�, or cephalophoil, is straight and square relative to the major axis of the body. The body is stout and classically shark-shaped with a markedly tall, curved, first dorsal fin. T
fight, they tire quickly and are some of the more physiologically fragile species Danger
