|
|
|
|
Classification
|
| Latin name : |
Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) |
| Synonyms : |
|
| Classification : |
Chondrichthyes ( Cartilaginous fishes, sharks, rays ) |
| |
Name : |
Requin ? pointes noires
|
Name : |
Blacktip reef shark
Guliman
Black shark
Blacktip reef whaler
|
|
|
Identification
|
| Main identification characters |
A small shark with a short, bluntly rounded snout, oval eyes, and narrow-cusped teeth; 2nd dorsal fin large; no interdorsal ridge.
Yellow-brown above, white below; all fins conspicuous with black or dark brown tips also anterior and posterior dark edging on pectoral fins and upper lobe of caudal fin; a prominent black tip of first dorsal fin set off abruptly by a light band below it; a conspicuous dark band on flanks, extending rearward to pelvic fins.
Exceptionally to 180cm; mostly under 160cm; size at birth 33 to 52 cm. |
| Possible confusions |
Data exist in different language. Feel free to update this datasheet and translate the data :
Carcharhinus limbatus n'a pas de marque noire sur le premier aileron dorsal, Carcharhinus wheeleri possède une tâche blanche sur le premier aielron dorsal. |
|
Biology
|
| Feed |
| Prefers fishes but also feeds on crustaceans, cephalopods and other mollusks. |
| Cycle of life / Reproduction |
| Viviparous. Litter size 2 - 5 pups, generally 4 or less; gestation period perhaps as much as 16 months. Females mature at 96 - 112cm TL; males between 91 - 100cm. |
| Interaction with other species |
Reported to cause poisoning.
May become aggressive to spear fishers and has been reported to bite people wading in shallow water. |
|
Distribution
|
| Habitat |
Coral |
Rocks |
|
|
| Inhabits shallow water close inshore on coral reefs and in the intertidal zone, near reef dropoffs and close offshore. Also found in mangrove areas, moving in and out with the tide and even in fresh water, but not in tropical lakes and rivers far from the sea. Occurs singly or in small groups. |
| Geographical distribution |
| Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian Is. and the Tuamotu Archipelago. Apparently rare or absent in the more easterly groups. Also eastern Mediterranean (through the Suez Canal). |
|
Links
|
| Websites : |
http://shark-gallery.netfirms.com/med/bltipreef.htm
http://web.cyberia.net.lb/lebscuba/francais/requins/pointes-noires.htm [...]
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Carcharhi [...]
Suggest a link for this species
Search with Google
Search with AltaVista
|
|
Bibliography
|
 
|
Guide sous-marin de Tahiti
R. Bagnis & E. Christian
Les Editions du Pacifique, 1976-2000
|
|
Data sheet written by Christophe Naslain , 4/12/2002
Updates :
Christophe Naslain - 05/11/2003
Abystrale - 26/08/2006
|
|
 Update
 Print
 Send
|
)