| Family: |
Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks) |
| Max. size: |
160 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 28 kg; max. reported age: 8 years |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 140 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: Persian Gulf (Ref. 68964), Red Sea and East Africa (including Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles) to the Philippines, north to China, south to Australia. Also from Vanikolo Island (Santa Cruz Islands) and the Solomon Islands. Possibly occurring in the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and Sri Lanka (Ref. 9997). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0. A small, spindle-shaped shark with a long, rounded snout, large circular eyes, and oblique-cusped serrated teeth; 2nd dorsal fin very low; interdorsal ridge present (Ref. 5578). 2nd dorsal, pectorals and lower caudal lobe with dark tips; 1st dorsal with thin but conspicuous dark tip; pelvic fins and upper caudal lobe plain (Ref. 5485). Grey or grey-brown above, white below with a golden-brown sheen on the area between eyes and gill slits (in fresh specimens); pectorals, second dorsal, and lower caudal fin lobe with conspicuous black tips, first dorsal and upper caudal fin lobe with black edging (Ref. 9997). A dark band on flank extending rearwards to pelvic fins (Ref. 9997). |
| Biology: |
Found on the continental and insular shelves, primarily near reefs (Ref. 244). Sometimes in offshore waters (Ref. 30573). Live near the seabed during the day and near the surface at night (Ref. 6390). Feeds on bony fishes (Ref. 68964). Shark movements often short (50 km) but may be more than 1,000 km (Ref. 6390). Prefers teleost fishes but also feeds on cephalopods and crustaceans (Ref. 6871). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Regularly caught by local artisanal and small-scale commercial fisheries where it occurs (Ref. 244). Utilized as a food fish; fins used in the oriental shark fin trade, liver for vitamin oil, and offal for fishmeal (Ref. 9997). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 29 October 2020 (A2d) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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