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Blackspot shark
No image of Blackspot shark found in the Shark Database
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| Range Map |
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| Systematics |
Phylum: Vertebates (Chordata)
Class: Carlilagenous Fishes (Chondrichthyes)
Order: Ground sharks (Carcharhiniformes)
Family: Requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae)
Genus: Carcharhinus (Carcharhinus)
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| Name |
| Scientific: | Carcharhinus sealai |
| German: | Schwarzfleckhai |
| English: | Blackspot shark |
| French: | Requin a taches noires |
| Spanish: | Tiburón alinegro |
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| Appearance |
Small requiem shark, with a moderately long and rounded snout. Relatively large, horinzontally oval eyes (2 to 2.8% of the total body length). First dorsal fin is relatively small and falcate with an origin that is over or slightly posterior to the pectoral fins free rear tips. Second dorsal fin is large (between 3 and 5% of the shark total length) with origin slightly or well behind the anal fin origin. Small pectoral fins, strongly falcate with pointed apices. Interdorsal ridge can be present or missing.
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| Coloration |
Grey to tan upper body, light ventral surface. Very conspicuous black (or at least dusky) second dorsal fin with pale posterior edges. Inconspicuous light stripes on flanks.
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| Distribution |
Indo-Western Pacific: South Africa, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Seychelles, Mauritius, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Andaman Islands, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, New Guinea, Australia (western and northern Australia, Queensland).
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| Biology |
Lives over the continental and insular shelves in coastal waters, from the very surface (surf line) down to approximately 40 m. Common.
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| Feeding |
Small fishes, and different kinds of invertebrates.
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| Size |
Maximum size less than 100 cm, average size between 60 and 80 cm.
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| Reproduction |
Viviparous, with yolksac placenta (gives birth to live young). 1 or 2 pups per litter. Gestation period takes 9 months. Males reach sexual maturity with a size between 70 and 80 cm, females between 70 and 75 cm.
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| Similar Species |
Can be mistaken for Whitecheek shark and taxonomic features have to be used to clearly distinguish between these two species.
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| Endangerment |
Status in the IUCN
Red List:
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No Entry found in Red List.
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| Danger to Humans |
Harmless.
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