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Blind shark
 
 
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The blind shark, Brachaelurus waddi, is one of two species in the family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 Brachaeluridae
Brachaeluridae

The Brachaeluridae, or blind sharks, are a small family of sharks in the order Orectolobiformes. There are only two species of blind shark, both of which are native to shallow coastal waters up to depth, off the eastern coast of Australia....
, and the only member of the genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 Brachaelurus. It is found in the subtropical southwest Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 off Queensland
Queensland

Queensland is a States and territories of Australia of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south....
 and New South Wales
New South Wales

New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
, between latitudes 8° S
8th parallel south

The 8th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 8 degree south of the Earth equator.Two sections of the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola are defined by the parallel....
 to 33° S
33rd parallel south

The 33rd parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 33 degree south of the Earth equator.Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 33? south passes through:...
. It reaches a length of 1.22 m. Blind sharks are not actually blind, despite the name; their eyesight is "perfectly adequate." In captivity they can live to be 20 years old.

The blind shark has its caudal fin with its upper lobe at a low angle above the body axis, with a strong terminal lobe and subterminal notch but no ventral lobe.






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The blind shark, Brachaelurus waddi, is one of two species in the family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 Brachaeluridae
Brachaeluridae

The Brachaeluridae, or blind sharks, are a small family of sharks in the order Orectolobiformes. There are only two species of blind shark, both of which are native to shallow coastal waters up to depth, off the eastern coast of Australia....
, and the only member of the genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 Brachaelurus. It is found in the subtropical southwest Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 off Queensland
Queensland

Queensland is a States and territories of Australia of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south....
 and New South Wales
New South Wales

New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
, between latitudes 8° S
8th parallel south

The 8th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 8 degree south of the Earth equator.Two sections of the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola are defined by the parallel....
 to 33° S
33rd parallel south

The 33rd parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 33 degree south of the Earth equator.Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 33? south passes through:...
. It reaches a length of 1.22 m. Blind sharks are not actually blind, despite the name; their eyesight is "perfectly adequate." In captivity they can live to be 20 years old.

The blind shark has its caudal fin with its upper lobe at a low angle above the body axis, with a strong terminal lobe and subterminal notch but no ventral lobe. It is usually found close inshore in tide pools (barely deep enough to keep it covered) and at the surf line, but sometimes deeper. It prefers rocky shoreline areas and coral reefs, and feeds on small reef invertebrate
Invertebrate

An invertebrate is an animal lacking a vertebral column. The group includes 98% of all animal species ? all animals except those in the Chordate subphylum vertebrate ....
s and small fishes. It thrives in an aquarium and is capable of living out of water for an extended period.

Reproduction is ovoviviparous.

In aquaria

Blind sharks are one of the few shark species that are considered suitable for keeping in personal saltwater aquaria. Their virtues for aquarium life include their small adult size and "predilection for tight spaces." However, one drawback is that they are inactive during the daytime and will spend most of the daylight hours hiding in artificial caves provided by the aquarist. Brachaelurids have been succesfully reared in home aquaria on diets of fresh and frozen seafood in waters at 64-76 degrees F. Blind sharks can induced to breed in captivity. The Sydney Aquarium has succesfully maintained an entire breeding colony of blind sharks.

See also

  • List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish
    List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish

    This list of prehistoric cartilaginous fish is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all Genus that have ever been included in the class chondrichthyes and are known from the fossil record....