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Night shark (Carcharhinus signatus) fish species and information / pictures of Night shark - Carcharhinus signatus
Night shark (Carcharhinus signatus) fish species information
Scientific Name
Carcharhinus signatus
Common Name
Night shark
Biology
Coastal and semi-oceanic species found on or along outer continental and insular shelves (Ref. 244). Found to depths of 40 m (Ref. 26938). Forms schools (Ref. 244). Nocturnal (Ref. 5578), and feeding mainly on small bony fishes and squid (Ref. 244). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Off West Africa, recorded water parameters at 90 to 285 m, where it was caught includes: temperature = 11 to 16?C; salinity = 36 ppt; oxygen = 1.81 ml/l (Ref. 244). Not known to be dangerous to people (Ref. 244).
Classification
Classified By
Poey, 1868
Class
Sharks and Rays (Elasmobranchii)
Order
Ground sharks (Carcharhiniformes)
Family
Requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae)
Distribution
Region
Western Atlantic
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Delaware to Florida (USA), Bahamas, and Cuba; southern Brazil, Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: Senegal to C?te d'Ivoire, Ghana to Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, off northern Namibia (Ref. 5578).
Range
39°N - 43°S, 85°W - 15°E
Environment
Climate
Subtropical
Water Temperature From
11
°C
Water Temperature To
16
°C
Depth From - meters
0
m
Depth To - meters
600
m
Zone
benthopelagic
Environment
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 0 - 600 m (Ref. 244), usually 50 - 100 m (Ref. 244)
Trophic Level
4.5 s.e. 0.38 Based on diet studies.
Occurs in Marine / Salt water
True
Occurs in Brackish water
False
Occurs in Fresh Water
False
Occurs on Reefs
False
Is kept in Aquariums
False
Physical Size and Genetics
Maximum Length
280
cm
Common Length
200
cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)
Human Uses and Population
Human Uses
Fisheries: commercial
Vulnerability
High to very high vulnerability (73 of 100)
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (tm=8-10; Fec=4; Tmax=17; K=0.12)
Threat To Humans
Harmless (Ref. 244)
IUCN Red List Status
Vulnerable (VU) (A2abd+3bd+4abd)