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The Elasmodiver Shark and Ray Field Guide
Sharks and rays are amazing creatures. They inspire many emotions among
divers, fishermen, movie watchers, aquarium visitors, surfers, and anyone
else who has the chance to interact with them. The emotions that they conjure
up in us include awe, fear, delight, repulsion, excitement, curiosity
and terror but the one thing that sharks rarely inspire is boredom or
indifference. Why they engender such strong feelings among us varies from a
primordial fear of large predators to a respect for their incredible
abilities and a deep appreciation of their power and grace. What ever reason
you have for your interest in sharks and for visiting Elasmodiver, I hope you
enjoy all the shark pictures and information that is contained here and that
you 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 Web Master
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ORDER TORPEDINIFORMES:
TORPEDO
RAYS, COFFIN RAYS, ELECTRIC RAYS & SLEEPER RAYS |
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Family NARCINIDAE - Electric rays
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BULLS-EYE
ELECTRIC RAY - Diplobatus ommata |
CORTEZ
ELECTRIC RAY - Narcine entemedor |
LESSER
ELECTRIC RAY - Narcine bancrofti |
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Family TORPEDINIDAE - Torpedo rays |
Family HYPNIDAE - Coffin rays |
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MARBLED TORPEDO RAY
Torpedo marmorata |
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COFFIN RAY - Hypnos monopterygium |
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ORDER MYLIOBATIFORMES: WHIPTAIL STINGRAYS,
ROUND STINGRAYS AND STINGAREES, DEEPWATER STINGRAYS, FRESHWATER STINGRAYS,
BUTTERFLY RAYS, SIXGILL STINGRAYS, EAGLE RAYS, COWNOSE RAYS & DEVIL RAYS |
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Family DASYATIDAE - Whiptail Stingrays
The
biology and behavior of Whiptail Stingrays
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Whiptail Stingray biology and behavior |
BLUNTNOSE
STINGRAY - Dasyatis sayi |
DIAMOND
STINGRAY - Dasyatis dipterura |
LONGTAIL
STINGRAY - Dasyatis longus |
SOUTHERN
STINGRAY - Dasyatis americana |
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THORNTAIL
STINGRAY - Dasyatis thetidis |
SHORTTAIL
STINGRAY - Dastatis brevicaudata |
ROUGHTAIL
STINGRAY - Dasyatis centroura |
BLUE
SPOTTED STINGRAY - Dasyatis kuhlii |
ATLANTIC
STINGRAY - Dasyatis sabina |
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COMMON STINGRAY
- Dasyatis pastinaca |
BLUESPOTTED RIBBONTAIL RAY - Taeniura lymma |
MARBLED
RIBBONTAIL RAY - Taeniura meyeni |
ROUND STINGRAY - Taeniura grabata |
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JENKINS'
WHIPRAY - Himantura jenkinsii |
LEOPARD
WHIPRAY - Himantura undulata |
CHUPARE STINGRAY
Himantura schmardae |
PELAGIC STINGRAY - Pteroplatytrygon violacea |
COWTAIL STINGRAY -
Hypolophus sephen |
Family POTAMOTRYGONIDAE - River stingrays
The biology and
evolution of River Stingrays |
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River Stingray Biology,
Behavior, and Evolution |
MOTORO RIVER STINGRAY - Potamotrygon motoro |
ROSETTE RIVER STINGRAY -
Potamotrygon schroederi |
VERMICULATE RIVER STINGRAY
-
Potamotrygon castexi |
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Family UROLOPHIDAE - Round stingrays and
stingarees |
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CORTEZ ROUND STINGRAY -
Urobatis maculatus |
ROUND STINGRAY - Urobatis halleri |
YELLOW STINGRAY - Urobatis jamaicensis |
BULLSEYE STINGRAY - Urobatis concentricus |
KAPALA
STINGAREE -Urolophus kapalensis |
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SINCLAIR'S STINGAREE - Urolophus sp. |
SPOTTED STINGAREE - Urolophus gigas |
COMMON STINGAREE - Trygonoptera testacea |
MASKED STINGAREE - Trygonoptera personata |
STRIPED STINGAREE - Trygonoptera ovalis |
Family GYMNURIDAE - Butterfly Rays |
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SPINY BUTTERFLY RAY
- Gymnura altavela |
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Family MYLIOBATIDAE - Eagle rays |
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COMMON EAGLE RAY - Myliobatis aquila |
SOUTHERN BAT RAY - Myliobatis australis |
CALIFORNIA
BAT RAY - Myliobatis californicus |
SPOTTED EAGLE RAY - aetobatus narinari |
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Family MOBULIDAE - Devil rays |
Family
RHINOPTERIDAE - Cownose Rays |
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MANTA RAY - Manta birostris |
BENTFIN DEVIL RAY - Mobula thurstoni |
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ATLANTIC COWNOSE RAY - Rhinoptera bonasus |
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ORDER RAJIFORMES
SKATES
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Family RAJIDAE - Skates |
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BIG
SKATE - Raja binoculata |
WINTER
SKATE - Raja ocellata |
LONGNOSE
SKATE -
Raja rhina |
THORNBACK
SKATE -
Raja clavata |
LITTLE SKATE - Leucoraja erinacea |
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SMOOTH SKATE - Malacoraja
senta |
THORNY SKATE -
Ambyraja radiata |
BARNDOOR SKATE - Dipturus
laevis |
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ORDER
RHINOBATIFORMES SHARKFIN GUITARFISHES,
GUITARFISHES & THORNBACK RAYS |
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Family RHINOBATIDAE
Guitarfishes |
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SHOVELNOSE GUITARFISH -
Rhinobatos
productos |
ATLANTIC GUITARFISH -
Rhinobatos lentiginosus |
EASTERN SHOVELNOSE RAY
Aptychotrema rostrata |
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BANDED GUITARFISH - Zapteryx
exasperata |
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Family RHYNCHOBATIDAE
Sharkfin Guitarfishes |
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Family
PLATYRHINIDAE
Thornback Rays |
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BOWMOUTH GUITARFISH - Rhina
ancylostoma |
WHITESPOTTED
GUITARFISH -Rhynchobatus
australiae |
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THORNBACK RAY
platyrhinoidis triseriata |
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ORDER PRISTIFORMES SAWFISH
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Family PRISTIDAE - Sawfishes |
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SMALLTOOTH
SAWFISH
- Pristis pectinata |
GREEN SAWFISH - Pristis zijsron |
FRESHWATER SAWFISH - Pristis
microdon |
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ORDER HEXANCHIFORMES
SIXGILL, SEVENGILL & FRILLED SHARKS
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Family HEXANCHIDAE- Six and seven gilled sharks |
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BLUNTNOSE
SIXGILL SHARK -
Hexanchus griseus |
BROADNOSE
SEVENGILL SHARK - Notorhynchus cepedianus |
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ORDER ORECTOLOBIFORMES ZEBRA
SHARKS, WHALE SHARKS, BAMBOO AND EPAULETTE SHARKS, BLIND SHARKS, NURSE SHARKS,
WOBBEGONG SHARKS & CARPET SHARKS |
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STEGOSTOMATIDAE
Zebra sharks |
RHINCODONTIDAE Whale sharks |
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Family GINGLYMOSTOMATIDAE
Nurse sharks |
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ZEBRA SHARK
- Stegostoma fasciatum |
WHALE SHARK - Rhincodon typus |
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NURSE SHARK - Ginglymostoma cirratum |
TAWNY NURSE SHARK - Nebrius ferrugineus |
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Family
HEMISCYLLIIDAE
Bamboo and Epaulette sharks |
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Family BRACHAELURIDAE
Blind Sharks |
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SPECKLED EPAULETTE SHARK - Hemiscyllium trispeculare |
WHITE
SPOTTED BAMBOO SHARK -
Chiloscyllium plagiosum |
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BLIND SHARK - Brachaelurus waddi |
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Family ORECTOLOBIDAE
- Wobbegong sharks |
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BANDED
WOBBEGONG - Orectolobus halei |
DWARF ORNATE
WOBBEGONG - Orectolobus ornatus |
SPOTTED WOBBEGONG -
Orectolobus maculatus |
WARDS
WOBBEGONG - Orectolobus wardi |
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TASSELLED
WOBBEGONG - Eucrossorhinus dasypogon |
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 |
Family
SOMNIOSIDAE
Sleeper
sharks |
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SPINY DOGFISH -
Squalus acanthias
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GREENLAND SHARK - Somniosus microcephalus |
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ORDER LAMNIFORMES MACKERAL SHARKS,
SANDTIGER SHARKS,
BASKING SHARKS, THRESHER SHARKS, MEGAMOUTH
SHARKS & GOBLIN SHARKS |
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Family LAMNIDAE
Mackeral sharks |
ODONTASPIDIDAE
Sandtiger sharks
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CETORHINIDAE
Basking sharks |
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GREAT WHITE SHARK
- Carcharodon carcharias |
SHORTFIN MAKO SHARK - Isurus
oxyrinchus |
PORBEAGLE SHARK - Lamna nasus |
SANDTIGER
SHARK - Carcharias taurus |
BASKING SHARK -
Cetorhinus maximus |
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ORDER CARCHARHINIFORMES HAMMERHEADS,
REQUIEM SHARKS, SMOOTHHOUND SHARKS & CATSHARKS
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Family SPHYRNIDAE - Hammerhead sharks |
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SMOOTH HAMMERHEAD SHARK - Sphyrna
zygaena |
GREAT HAMMERHEAD -
Sphyrna mokarran |
SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD -
Sphyrna lewini |
BONNETHEAD SHARK - Sphyrna tiburo |
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Family CARCHARHINIDAE - Requiem sharks |
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BLACKNOSE SHARK - Carcharhinus acronotus |
LEMON SHARK
- Negaprion brevirostris
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GALAPAGOS SHARK -
Carcharhinus galapagensis
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BULL
SHARK - Carcharhinus leucas
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CARIBBEAN
REEF SHARK - Carcharhinus perezi
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DUSKY SHARK - Carcharhinus
obscurus |
SILVERTIP SHARK -
Carcharhinus albimarginatus
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SANDBAR SHARK -
Carcharinus plumbeus |
OCEANIC WHITETIP
SHARK - Carcharhinus longimanus
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BLACKTIP
SHARK - Carcharhinus limbatus |
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SILKY SHARK -
Carcharhinus falciformis |
SPINNER
SHARK - Carcharhinus brevipinna |
BLUE
SHARK - Prionace glauca |
WHITETIP REEF SHARK - Triaenodon obesus |
TIGER SHARK -Galeocerdo cuvier |
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ATLANTIC SHARPNOSE SHARK -
Rhizoprionodon terraenovae |
PACIFIC SHARPNOSE SHARK -
Rhizoprionodon longurio |
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Family TRIAKIDAE - Smoothhound Sharks |
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GULF SMOOTHHOUND -
Mustelus
sinusmexicanus |
LEOPARD SHARK -
Triakis semifasciata |
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Family SCYLIORHINIDAE - Catsharks |
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LESSER
SPOTTED CATSHARK -
Scyliorhinus canicula |
CHAIN
CATSHARK - Scyliorhinus retifer |
CALIFORNIA SWELL
SHARK -
Cephaloscyllium ventriosum |
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ORDER HETERODONTIFORMES
BULLHEAD SHARKS |
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Family
HETERODONTIDAE - Bullhead sharks
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CALIFORNIA HORN
SHARK - Heterodontus fransisci |
PORT
JACKSON SHARK - Heterodontus portusjacksoni |
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ORDER
SQUATINIFORMES
ANGEL SHARKS |
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Family
SQUATINIDAE - Angel Sharks
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COMMON ANGEL SHARH -
Squatina squatina |
PACIFIC ANGEL SHARK - Squatina
californica |
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ORDER CHIMAERIIFORMES CHIMAERAS
& ELEPHANTFISHES
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Family CHIMAERIDAE - shortnose
chimaeras |
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SPOTTED
RATFISH - Hydrolagus colliei |
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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 |
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Read the previous shark blogs in the
Elasmoblog Archives
Andy Murch is a
freelance shark photographer and the
Staff Photographer at
Shark Diver Magazine. He is also the Creator of
Elasmodiver.com which is one of the largest sources of information
about sharks and rays on the internet.
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