False-shark sharks [1] [2] ( lat. Pseudotriakidae ) - a small family of cartilaginous fish of the order Karhariniformes .
| False Sharks |
Pseudotriakis microdon |
| Scientific classification |
|---|
| No rank : | Bilateral symmetrical |
|
| International scientific name |
|---|
Pseudotriakidae ( TN Gill , 1893 ) |
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This family includes 2 genera, which include a total of 4 species of sharks, of which 3 are currently described. The name of the family comes from the words dr. ψευδής “false” and τριάκις “three times” [3] .
These are large deep-sea fish that live on the continental and island shelf at a depth of 200 to 500 m. They are found in all oceans from Madagascar to Taiwan and Hawaii, as well as off the coast of Iceland. The maximum recorded length is 3 m. Representatives of this family have a massive, stocky body, a characteristic elongated base of the first dorsal fin, the length of which exceeds the length of the caudal fin, dark brown, horizontally elongated slit-like eyes equipped with migratory membranes . Behind the eyes are large spiracles. The big mouth ends behind the eyes. At the corners of the mouth are very short labial furrows. On each jaw there are more than 200 small pointed teeth. The lower lobe of the caudal fin is poorly developed. At the edge of the upper lobe there is a ventral notch. These sharks breed by egg-laying , in litter from 2 to 4 newborns. Probably, the diet consists of deep-sea bony fishes , plate-gill and invertebrates [4] .
