Description:

A stout grey-brown shark with no prominent markings. A moderately long, rounded snout and high, triangular, saw-edged upper teeth. A prominent broad interdorsal ridge. 
First dorsal fin very large with bluntly pointed or rounded apex and anteriorly positioned with origin over or slightly in front of insertion point of pectoral fin. 
Second dorsal fin (D2) large and high with origin over or a little anterior to anal fin origin. Pectoral fins large and long. Head has a moderately long, broadly 
rounded snout, large circular eyes with anterior margin above to slightly anterior to front of mouth. Upper teeth are broad, triangular semi-erect to oblique with 
some serrations towards the base.

Size:

Born 56-75cm TL.  Maturity: Females 145-185cm TL, Males 130-180cm TL. Max Length: approx. 240cm TL (possibly to 300cm TL).
 

Habitat and Ecology:

Inhabits insular and continental shelves usually near bottom (20-55m depth) and adjacent deep water (1-280m depth). Feeds mainly on demersal teleosts, molluscs and 
crustaceans also mall sharks, rays and cephalopods. Young feed heavily on crustaceans such as crab and shrimp.  Viviparous 1-14 pups per litter after a gestation of 
10-12 months. Females pupping only every 2 or 3 years.

Fishery Status:

This species is not protected. It is however illegal to fish for sharks with nets (Fisheries Act, Reg 16.c). It is caught in the hand line, long line and “drag” 
fisheries. Surveys undertaken in the 1940s found C. plumbeus to be the third most common shark caught on the outer banks of the Mahe plateau. Today the shark is 
a very rare catch in the artisanal fishery.

Notes:
References:

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. (2018). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.de/summary/carcharhinus-plumbeus.html (16/08/18).
Nevill, J.E.G. et al (2015). An identification guide for the sharks of the Seychelles Artisanal Fishery.
Rigby, C.L. et al 2021. Carcharhinus plumbeus. The IUCN Red List 2021: e.T3853A2874370. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T3853A2874370.en. (23/09/21).

Citation:

Nevill, J.E.G. (2019). Carcharhinus plumbeus, Sandbar shark. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/carcharhinus-plumbeus-nardo-1827/ (Updated 23/09/21).