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Carcharhinus longimanus (Poey, 1861)
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Carcharhinus longimanus (Poey, 1861)
  • Photo. (c) Alex Monthy 2021.
  • Photo. (c) 2021 Alex Monthy
  • Photo. (c) 2021 John Nevill. Juvenile displaying black saddle and tips to D2 and anal fins.
Genus: ,

Scientific Name: Carcharhinus longimanus

English Name: Oceanic whitetip shark

Creole Name: Reken Kanal/Reken Eparv

French Name: Requin océanique

IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR)



Information

Description:

Large stocky shark, white ventrally. Very large and unmistakeable rounded first dorsal fin and long paddle-like pectoral fins. Snout bluntly rounded, small eyes, 
upper teeth triangular. Interdorsal ridge present. Inconspicuous caudal keels.
Colour. Dark grey with a bronze tinge, sometimes brownish, dorsally. Cream to white ventrally. First dorsal and pectoral fins with distinctive mottled 
white tips. Lower lobe of caudal fin often white or with white spots. Ventral surface of pelvic fins, apices of anal and second dorsal, and ventral lobe of caudal 
often with black spots. Juveniles have black tips on some fins and black patches or saddles on the caudal peduncle.


Size:

Born: 55-77cm TL. Maturity: males 168-198cm TL, females 175-200cm TL. Max Length: possibly to 396cm TL. Commonly to 270cm TL.


Habitat and Ecology:

An oceanic deep-water species, usually over water depths of >184 meters, which sometimes comes close to shore (Depth 0-230m, typically 0-152m, but has been reported
to depths of 1,082 m). Behaviour slow-moving but active by day and night, cruising slowly at or near the surface, pectoral fins outspread. Frequently accompanied 
by remora and pilot fish. Mainly feeds on oceanic bony fishes and cephalopods, also stingrays, seabirds, turtles, marine gastropods, crustaceans, marine mammals, 
carrion and garbage. Viviparous. 1 to 15 pups per litter (increasing with female size) after about one year gestation and most likely biennial reproductive cycle.


Fishery Status:

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is however illegal to fish for sharks with nets (Fisheries Act, Reg 16.c).
It is rarely caught in the artisanal fishery because it typically resides offshore over deep oceanic water. It does however occur around the edge of the plateau 
and juveniles occur on the outer banks. It is much more commonly caught in the semi-industrial and industrial long-line fishery. It is prone to being caught 
due to its preference for surface waters and its inquisitive nature.


Notes:

The Oceanic Whitetip Shark was once one of the most abundant pelagic shark species in tropical seas worldwide but is now rare in some regions. The global 
population is estimated to have undergone a reduction of >98%, with the highest probability of >80% reduction over three generation lengths (61.2 years). 
Therefore, the Oceanic Whitetip Shark is assessed as Critically Endangered (Rigby et al 2019).
Very inquisitive shark and can be persistent and aggressive. Associated with open-ocean attacks after marine disasters such as the USS Minneapolis sunk in 
the Pacific in WWII.
Photos of whole specimen courtesy of Alex Monthy.


References:

Carcharhinus longimanus (POEY, 1861): In: Database of modern sharks, rays and chimaeras, www.shark-references.com, World Wide Web electronic publication, 
Version 03/2021. (11/03/21).
Ebert, D.A. et al (2013). Sharks of the World – A fully illustrated guide. Wild Nature press ISBN 978-0-9573946-0-5
Fisheries Act 2014. Prohibition of net fishing of sharks, Reg. 16c of 1st August 1998. (Carried over from the 1986 Fisheries Act as per Fisheries Act 
2014 para 79: Savings and Transitional provisions).
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Eds. 2021. FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Carcharhinus-longimanus.html (11/03/21)
Rigby, C.L. et al 2019. Carcharhinus longimanus. The IUCN Red List 2019: e.T39374A2911619. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T39374A2911619.en. (11/03/21)


Citation:

Nevill, J.E.G. (2021). Carcharhinus longimanus, Oceanic whitetip shark. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/carcharhinus-longimanus-poey-1861/ (edited 22/09/21). 


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