Galleria Nazionale dei Selachoidei

Currently the exposure of the Gallery is divided into two rooms that present the main families, when as many as 24, of Selachoidei. The National Gallery of Selachoidei collects multiform collections ostensive (grouped by families) of zoological specimens (mostly stuffed sharks). Among the proposals to the public some families deserve special mention, because they are among the most important on the European territory, for diversity and number of species. The Order of Selachoidei is also called the Squalomorfi or of Selacei. It is real sharks. Are elasmobranchs with 5 gill slits on the sides of the head, in three species are 6 or 7 gills, these are the most primitive species. The caudal fin is always well developed. The eyes are lateral and the body is fusiform. This order includes about thirty families and half the species of cartilaginous fish. Have jaws provided with teeth arranged in several rows, which can be replaced in the course of their life even 100 times. The majority of species does not exceed one meter in length. Their diet is varied and ranges from plankton filtered (food of the whale sharks and elephant) to other animals including large, including humans (often hunted by the fearsome white sharks and tiger sharks). Many species of sharks exposed face extinction due to water pollution, overfishing and the anthropization coasts.