Rhizoprionodon acutus (Rüppell, 1837)

Milk shark

Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Classification	Elasmobranchii \| Carcharhiniformes \| Carcharhinidae
Synonyms	Carcharias acutus, Carcharhinus acutus, Cynocephalus acutus, ... more
Common names	Requin à museau pointu, Cazón lechoso, Grey dog shark, ... more

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Image of Rhizoprionodon acutus (Milk shark)

Picture by Randall, J.E.

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This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS

Main reference

Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. (Ref. 244)
Other references | Biblio | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 175 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12693); 80.8 cm TL (female); common length : 110 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 47737); max. published weight: 5,000 g (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 8 years (Ref. 244)

Environment

Benthopelagic; amphidromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - 200 m (Ref. 244)

Climate / Range

Tropical; 35°N - 30°S

Eastern Atlantic: Madeira and Mauritania to Angola; reported from the Gulf of Taranto (Ref. 231). Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Indonesia, north to Japan, south to Australia.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. A small shark with a long, narrow, snout, big eyes without notches, long labial furrows, and oblique-cusped teeth which may be smooth-edged or weakly serrated; 2nd dorsal fin small, low and behind larger anal fin; no interdorsal ridge (Ref. 5578). Grey or grey-brown above, white below (Ref. 5578). Dorsal and anal fins with dusky or blackish edges, fins slightly darker than back (Ref. 9997).

Found on continental shelves, often on sandy beaches and rarely in estuaries (Ref. 244). Reported to enter freshwater and recorded several times from Cambodia as far upstream as the Great Lake (Ref. 12693). Occurs near the surface in shallow waters (Ref. 12693). Feeds mainly on small pelagic and benthic bony fishes, also cephalopods and other invertebrates (Ref. 244). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Utilized fresh and possibly dried salted for human consumption and for fishmeal (Ref. 9997). The 178 cm specimen recorded off Africa is possibly based on some other species (Ref. 9997).


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Least Concern (LC)	Harmless (Ref. 244)

Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes


More information
Countries FAO areas Ecosystems Occurrences Introductions Ecology Diet Food items Food consumption Ration	Common names Synonyms Metabolism Predators Ecotoxicology Reproduction Maturity Spawning Eggs Egg development	Age/Size Growth Length-weight Length-length Length-frequencies Morphometrics Morphology Larvae Larval dynamics Recruitment	Other references Biblio Aquaculture Aquaculture profile Strains Genetics Allele frequencies Heritability Diseases Processing	Collaborators Pictures Stamps Sounds Ciguatera Speed Swim. type Gill area Otoliths Brains Vision

Tools
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Internet sources

Estimation of some characteristics with mathematical models

Resilience (Ref. 69278)

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=1)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100)	Medium

Entered by Carpenter, Kent E.

Modified by Luna, Susan M.

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Page last modified by : elaxamana, 15 July 2009

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