Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758)

Great white shark

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

Classification	Elasmobranchii \| Lamniformes \| Lamnidae
Synonyms	Squalus carcharias, Carcharias atwoodi, Carcharias lamia, ... more
Common names	Grand requin blanc, Jaquetón blanco, Mango-ururoa, ... more

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Image of Carcharodon carcharias (Great white shark)

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AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS

Main reference

Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. (Ref. 247)
Other references | Biblio | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 792 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5951); 430 cm TL (female); common length : 600 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 13574); max. published weight: 3,400.0 kg (Ref. 26340); max. reported age: 36 years (Ref. 31395)

Environment

Pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 1280 m (Ref. 6871), usually 0 - 250 m (Ref. 55270)

Climate / Range

Subtropical; 66°N - 58°S, 180°W - 180°E

Cosmopolitan, mostly amphitemperate. Western Atlantic: Newfoundland, Canada to Argentina; also north Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Cuba and Lesser Antilles (Ref. 26938). Eastern Atlantic: France to South Africa, including the Mediterranean. Indian Ocean: Red Sea, Seychelles, South Africa; also Reunion and Mauritius (Ref. 33390). Western Pacific: Siberia to New Zealand and the Marshall Islands; also south Australia (Ref. 26938). Central Pacific: Hawaii. Eastern Pacific: Alaska to Chile. International trade cooperation, Australia (CITES Appendix III, since 28.5.2003; CMS Appendix I and II).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. A huge, spindle-shaped shark with conspicuous black eyes, a blunt, conical snout and large, triangular, saw-edged teeth (Ref. 5578). First dorsal-fin origin usually over the pectoral-fin inner margins (Ref. 43278, 6871). Caudal fin crescentic (Ref. 247). Lead-grey to brown or black above, lighter on sides, and abruptly white below (Ref. 6851). Black spot at rear pectoral fin base (Ref. 6851).

Primarily a coastal and offshore inhabitant of continental and insular shelves, but may also occur off oceanic islands far from land (Ref. 247, 43278, 58302). Often close inshore to the surf line and even penetrates shallow bays (Ref. 247). Pelagic, capable of migration across oceanic regions (Ref. 58302). Usually solitary or in pairs but can be found in feeding aggregations of 10 or more; does not form schools (Ref. 247). Feeds on bony fishes, sharks, rays, seals, dolphins and porpoises, sea birds, carrion, squid, octopi and crabs (Ref. 5578) and whales (Ref. 32140). Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother (Ref. 43278, 50449). Number of young born per litter, 7 (Ref. 31395) to 14 (Ref. 26346). Reported by some experts to attack humans which they mistake for their normal prey (Ref. 47). Most attacks occur in estuaries. Caught by big-game anglers and line boats for its jaws (Ref. 5578). Reported to cause poisoning (Ref. 4690). Flesh is utilized fresh, dried-salted, and smoked for human consumption, the skin for leather, liver for oil, carcass for fishmeal, fins for shark-fin soup, and teeth and jaws for decorations (Ref. 13574). Possibly to 8 m in length, considered the world's largest predator with a broad prey spectrum. The record of 10.98 m is incorrect (Ref. 13574). Sometimes considered the most dangerous shark in the world (Ref. 26938).


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Vulnerable (VU) (A1cd+2cd)	Traumatogenic (Ref. 247)

Human uses
Fisheries: minor 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

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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 (K=0.06; tm=8-12; tmax=36; Fec=7)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
Very high vulnerability (86 of 100)	Low

Entered by Carpenter, Kent E.

Modified by Kesner-Reyes, Kathleen

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