Australian blacktip shark (Carcharhinus tilstoni)

Scientific name: Carcharhinus tilstoni Whitley, 1950

Australian blacktip shark (Carcharhinus tilstoni)

The Australian blacktip shark (Carcharhinus tilstoni) is a brackish-water fish of the family Carcharhinidae.

Biology

Found on the continental shelf from close inshore to about 150 m depth. Found throughout the water column but usually near the sea bed during the day and near the surface at night. Prefers teleost fishes but also feeds on cephalopods to a lesser degree. Viviparous. Forms large aggregations. Utilized for its meat and fins. The flesh has a relatively high mercury content.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Carcharhinus tilstoni
Family
Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Order
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
200
Depth range
150 m (492 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; depth range ? - 150 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: currently known only from the continental shelf of tropical Australia. Very similar to Carcharhinus limbatus and reliably distinguished only by biochemical studies and vertebral counts.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.14; tm=3-4; tmax=12)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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