Horn shark

Taxobox
name = Horn shark
status = LC
status_system = IUCN3.1
trend = stable
status_ref = IUCN2006|assessors=Carlisle|year=2005|id=39333|title=Heterodontus francisci|downloaded=10 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is listed as data deficient ]


image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Chondrichthyes
subclassis = Elasmobranchii
ordo = Heterodontiformes
familia = Heterodontidae
genus = "Heterodontus"
species = "H. francisci"
range_

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range_map_width = 240px
range_map_caption = Range of horn shark (in blue)
binomial = "Heterodontus francisci"
binomial_authority = Girard, 1855

The horn shark, "Heterodontus francisci", is a bullhead shark. It can reach a size of 121 cm (4 ft)cite book |last=Kindersley |first= Dorling |year=2001,2005 |title=Animal |location=New York City |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=0-7894-7764-5] and weigh 10 kg (22 lb). It is brown with black spots. Its range is from central California to the Gulf of California, Mexico, and probably also in Ecuador and Peru. It is mostly nocturnal and appears sluggish in the daytime.It can bite if it is harassed.

Its habitat includes rocky reefs, kelp beds, sand flats, crevices, and caverns in a depth range from 2 to 150 m. Adults tend to return to the same resting spot every day. It feeds on invertebrates, primarily sea urchins, crabs, probably abalone, and fish.

The horn shark is oviparous, laying 12 to 14 cm (5 in) long kelp-colored spiral-shaped eggs that may float up on beach shores. It has poisonous spines on its back, hence its name.

References

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* [http://www.digimorph.org/specimens/Heterodontus_francisci/ Digimorph Heterodontus Francisci]