Lamiopsis

Breitflossenhai ( Lamiopsis temminckii ) from the first description of Müller & Henle

The wide fin sharks ( Lamiopsis ) are a genus of requiem sharks ( Carcharhinidae ) containing two species. The Breitflossenhai ( Lamiopsis temminckii ) is to be found in the Indian Ocean, especially in the shallow sea area off the coast of India, Borneo Breitflossenhai ( Lamiopsis tephrodes ) occurs on the north and east coast of Kalimantan.

Appearance and characteristics

The Breitflossenhai reaches a body length of up to 1.70 meters during the Borneo Breitflossenhai with about 1.30 meters is considerably smaller. Both have a light gray or light brownish color and a whitish belly region. In habit they resemble the requiem sharks of the genus Carcharhinus and they have like this one anal fin and two dorsal fins, the second dorsal fin, however, is almost as large as the first. The name derives from the broad-based pectoral fins. Moreover, they are characterized by an elongated snout, five gill slits without spray hole and sawed teeth in the upper jaw with broad triangular peaks and smooth-edged and narrow teeth in the lower jaw.

Way of life

The wide fin sharks are shallow waters and feed on prey on fish of different riparian zones. The sharks are viviparous and form a yolk sac placenta ( placental viviparous ).

Dissemination

The Breitflossenhai is to be found in India in the Indian Ocean, especially in the shallow sea area off the coast, it is rare on the coasts of China and Southeast Asia. The Borneo Breitflossenhai occurs on the north and east coast of Kalimantan in the western Pacific.

System

The genus includes the Breitflossenhai ( Lamiopsis temminckii ) and the Borneo Breitflossenhai ( Lamiopsis tephrodes ) two ways. The Borneo Breitflossenhai described in 1839 by the American zoologist Fowler, but later synonymized temminckii with the Lamiopsis also described 1839. Recently molecular biological analysis showed, however, that this is but two Lamiopsis species.

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