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Common Names: Dusky Shark, Dusky Whaler
Scientific Name: Carcharhinus obscurus
Size: Up to 4m
Found: Worldwide in warm temperate continental waters
Population Status: Low Risk/Near Threatened (IUCN 2007)
Tooth Shape:
Dusky sharks possess triangular shaped serrated teeth. Used for tearing.
Their diet can include sardines, anchovies, larger fish like tuna, mackerel, flatfish and eels. The dusky shark also eats other sharks and rays.
Reproduction:
Viviparous
Females can take up to 30 years to reach maturity.
Gestation takes about 16 months. Litters can range in size from 10-20 pups. Newborns are around 75-95cm in length.
Interesting Facts:
This species is prone to overfishing and decreasing population sizes as a result of their slow reproductive rate.
Little is known about their life history or behaviour. It is thought that the Dusky Whaler may have the ability to delay the onset on pregnancy.
Dusky sharks can live for up to 55 years of age.
They are often caught as by-catch or in shark fisheries and mis-identified as Bronze Whalers. This could have serious implications for their population growth in the future.
© R.Harcourt
