TM
Common Name: Grey Reef Shark, Black-vee Whaler,
Fowler's Whaler Shark, Graceful Shark,
Graceful Whaler Shark, Longnose Blacktail
Shark
Scientific Name: Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Size: Up to 1.5m
Found in: Central Pacific, Southern African, Madagascaran,
Arabian, South East Asian, Western Australian,
Southeast Australian/New Zealand, Northern
Australian, and Japanese waters
Population Status: Near Threatened (IUCN 2011)
Tooth Shape:
Adult sharks feed on fishes, cephalopods, crabs and lobsters. Juveniles will also feed on shrimp.
Reproduction:
Viviparous - Females give birth to 1-6 pups every two years. Pups are born around 50-60cm after a 12 month gestation.
Interesting Facts:
Grey Reef Sharks can be found in a variety of oceanic regions including Intertidal, Sandy Plains, Coral Reefs and the Deep Sea.
Grey Reef Sharks are apparently highly social with members of their own species. However, regardless of their size, they are dominant over most other sharks which inhabit Indo-Pacific coral reefs.
This species is vulnerable to overfishing due to its restricted habitat, small litter size, and relatively late age of maturity. Unfortunately, at this point in time there is not enough data on the grey reef shark to accurately analyze the status of populations.
Barry Hutchins
source: FAO Species Catalogue, Vol. 4 - Sharks of the World
