Zoology.'] 



NATUEAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. 



[^Fishes. 



Plate 74. 



CARCHARODON RONDELETII (Mul. and Hen.). 



The White Shark. 



[Genus CARCHARODON (A. Smith). (Sub-kingd. Vertebrata. Class Pisces. Order 

 Plagiostomata. Sub-order Selachoidea. Family Lamnidfe.) 



Gen. Char. — First dorsal fin over the space between the pectoral and ventral fins ; second 

 dorsal and anal fins nearly equal and very small. A pit at upper and under side of base of 

 caudal fin. Caudal fin crescentic, from having a large, pointed lower lobe two-thirds the length 

 of the upper one. Sides of the tail keeled. No nictitating eyelid. Spiracles very small or 

 absent. Teeth large, flat, triangular, equilateral, serrated on the edges, base hollow, without 

 ridge, alike in both jaws, but those of lower jaw narrower ; no median tooth. Scales minute, 

 with three keels. Gill-openings wide. Cosmopolitan.] 



Description. — Form: Elong-ate, fusiform; snout sub-triangular, rounded at 

 the point; nostrils large, about midway between tip of snout and mouth, rather 

 nearer to the eye. Spiracles a minute pore on each side, level with the general 

 surface, a little below the eye and behind the mouth. Gill-openings very large. 

 Anterior edge of 1st dorsal behind the posterior edge of pectoral; second dorsal 

 very small, its posterior edge just over the anterior edge of equally small anal fin. 

 A strong longitudinal keel on each side of tail, with a deep oval pit on midHne over 

 their posterior third. Caudal large, crescentic, the lower lobe pointed like the upper 

 lobe and almost equally large. Teeth: Very large, broad, triangular, with a thin- 

 edged hollow base, coarsely serrated on the sides; third upper tooth on each side 

 much smaller than the second or fourth, on each side above and below. Colour: 

 Ashy brownish-grey above, paler below. 



Measurements. 



Total length to end of upper lobe of caudal 



„ „ middle of caudal 



Length from snout to origin of dorsal 



„ of base of dorsal 

 Height of dorsal 

 Length from snout to anterior base of 2nd dorsal . 



„ of base of 2nd dorsal 

 Height of anterior part of 2nd dorsal 



„ posterior lobe 

 Length of lateral tail ridge 

 Length from anterior origin of base of caudal fin to tip of 



upper lobe ... 

 Depth of lower lobe of caudal ... 

 Length from snout to anterior base of pectoral 

 of base of pectoral 

 of anterior margin of pectoral 



from posterior base of 2nd dorsal to origin of caudal 

 from posterior base of anal to origin of caudal 

 from hind edge of ventral to anterior edge of anal ... 

 „ pectoral to anterior edge of ventral 



of base of ventral 

 of anterior margin of ventral 



[ 19] 



