| Horn sharks get their name from the two spines on their backs next to each dorsal fin, which look like small horns. The sharks in this group are also called bullheads because they have broad heads with ridges above their eyes. The shape of the head and the presence of an anal fin distinguish horn sharks from spiny dogfish, which also have dorsal spines. There are eight species of horn shark. All are mostly less than 1.5 m (5 ft) long and are found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, where they live on the sea bad in shallow water. Horn sharks swim with slow beats of their tails and push themselves along the bottom with their pectoral fins. The Australian Port Jackson sharks can travel long distances, covering 850 km (510 miles) to visit their breeding sites. Because horn sharks are slow, scuba divers sometimes tease them by pulling their tails - they have been known to bite back. Sadly, horn sharks are killed for their spines, used to make jewellery. |
