GALEOCERDO CUVIERI

Galeocerdo cuvieri (Prron & LeSueur,in LeSuer, 1822)

Classification:

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Subclass : Elasmobranchii

Order Carcharhiniformes:

Family : Carcharhinidae

Genera : Galeocerdo

Species : cuvieri

Key character used for the identification of the order Carcharhiniformes:

  • Two dorsal fins without spines
  • anal fin present
  • Five gill slits. the last one to three over the pectoral fin
  • Gill rakers absent
  • Eye with nictitating fold or membrane
  • Intestinal value of spiral or scroll type

Key character used forthe identification of the family CARCHARHINIDAE:

  • Eyes on sides of head, with a well-developed nictitating lower eyelid;
  • Intestine with a scroll valve
  • Anterior teeth in upper jaw smaller than lateral teeth and not separated from them by smaller intermediate teeth on each side
  • upper edge of caudal fin with a rippled or undulating margin;
  • Precaudal pits present;

Key character used for the identification of the genus Galeocerdo

  • Upper labial furrows very long, extending in front of eyes;
  • spiracles present and relatively large;
  • teeth in characteristic cockscomb shape;
  • a prominent dermal keel on caudal peduncle
  • vertical black or dusky bars on back, obscure or absent in adults

Key character used for the identification of the genus G. cuvieri

  • Snout very short and bluntly rounded, its length much less than width of mouth;
  • spiracles small, slit like, but easily visible;
  • upper labial folds about as long as snout, reaching to front of eyes;
  • teeth coarsely serrated, their outer edges deeply notched and the tips directed obliquely outward, their inner edges broadly convex;
  • second dorsal fin much smaller than first.
  • A low rounded keel on each side of caudal peduncle.upper labial fold
  • Colour: back dark grey or greyish brown with dark brown or black rectangular spots often forming bars on
  • sides and fins, but fading with growth.
Last modified: Monday, 23 January 2012, 4:46 AM