Marine Life

Horn Shark
(Heterodontus francisci)
Courtesy of Tom Haight

A large bulbous head, broad pectoral fins, spines anterior to both dorsal fins and brown spotted skin help make the Horn Shark one of the easiest to identify in California. The horns are used as a means of protection from larger fish, especially the Angel shark, that would like to feed on the horn shark. A nocturnal feeder, the Horn Shark prefers to dine on bottom-dwelling invertebrates like sea anemones and urchins which it will smash with its plate-like teeth. Growing to a maximum length of about four feet the Horn Shark poses no threat to divers.