CHECK-LIST OF CEFHALOCHOL'DATES, c^c.^OGILBY. 73 



Class II— MARSIPOBRANCHII. 

 THE LAMPREYS & HAGFISHES. 

 Not represented in Queensland waters. 



Class III— SELACHII. 



Subclass A— TREMATOPNEA. 



Order I— EUSELACHII. " The Sharks and Rays."<* 



Suborder a— PLEUROTREMATA. '• The Sharks." 



Division A— GALEOIDEI. 



Family I— CARCHARIID^. " The Nurse Sharks." 



Genus 1— CARCHARIAS Rafinesque, Caratt. ale. nuov. Gen., 1810, p. 10 

 [taurus). Svn. — Triglochis Mviller & Henle, 1837; Odontaspis, Ag&ssiz, 

 1838.9 



.1. arenarius Ogilby. " Gray Nurse." Sand Shark. 



Ann. Queensl. Mus., No. 10, 1 Nov. 1911, p. 37 : Moreton Bay, S.Q.— 

 Giinther, Catal., viii, p. 392, part. ; Macleay, Catal., 1084 part (as 

 Odontaspis americanus). 



Figure : — McCoy, Prodr., pi. 64, fig. 1 (as 0. taurus). 



Dimensions : — To at least 3-66 mm. 



Range : — Coast of South Queensland, rare. Moreton Bay {Ogilby). 



Type : — In the Queensland Museum. Reg. No. I. 14/1884. 



* From an economic point of view sharks and rays have been altogether neglected by our 

 fishermen, nevertheless we find in them several products which might be turned to good accoimt 

 commercially. For instance shark fins are in general ^xse throughout the Chinese Empire for thick- 

 ening soups, etc., and I know of no reason to prevent the Ijuilding up of a hicrative trade in this 

 commodity between the two countries ; an excellent isinglass is also obtainable from these fins. 

 Again all selachians yield a large quantity of oil, which is of such proved commercial value that 

 the capture of sharks for this purpose alone provides employment for scores of families on the 

 ocean coasts of Europe, even though the species sought for is small, and the fishery is prosecuted 

 by means of hand-lines worked at a depth of 200 fathoms and over. On the Pacific Coast of North 

 America Galeus zyopterus, the eastern representative of our '" school shark," is popularly known 

 as the " oil-shark," because of the amount of that prodiict which may be extracted from its liver, 

 and there is little reason to doubt that our Australian species might be as lucratively utilized ; in 

 fact the industry was at one time in existence in Tasmania (Johnston, Proc. Roy. Soc. Tas., 1882, 

 p. 94). In the selachians the liver is very large, that of a " tiger shark" {Galeocerdo arcticus) measur- 

 ing 13 feet, no uncommon size, weighing no less than 275 lb. Furthermore the skin of many of 

 the smaller sharks and rays furnishes an vmrivalled shagreen, which is extensively v&ed in the 

 polishing of wood and marble. From their great duraljility and the handsome markings of many 

 of the species, such as the " woljbegongs" {Orectolohus spp.), these skins would form an excellent 

 substitute for leather, alligator skin, and the like, in the manufacture of purses, reticules, etc. 

 They might also be advantageously employed for coating the handles of articles on which a firm 

 hold is vitally necessary, such as the grip of a sword. For these and like purposes they would 

 doubtless command a ready sale, while the tanned skins of the larger species should also be of 

 marketable valvie. Sharks' teeth too make up into handsome brooches, scarf-pins, and similar 

 ornaments. Douljtless other selachian remains might be made economically useful, as fertilizers 

 for instance. In addition to these by-products the flesh of many of the smaller sharks {Scylio- 

 rhinidce and some Orectolobidce) and rays {Rhinobatidce, Rajidce, and Dasybatida') is excellent, and 

 is largely iised by the inhabitants of many seaward countries. I can speak from personal experience 

 of the good qualities of a shark (Scyliorhiniis canicula) and three rays {Raja clavata, R. batis, and 

 Urolophus testaceus). Enough, however, has been written to show that these creatures are not so 

 worthless as many suppose. 



3 See Ogilby, Ann. Queensl. Mus., ^p. 10. p. 38. 



