Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus)

Scientific name: Glyphis gangeticus M?ller & Henle, 1839

Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus)

The Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus) is a freshwater fish of the family Carcharhinidae. Native range: Indo-West Pacific, Hooghly River, Ganges system, West Bengal, India, and likely from the vicinity of Karachi, Pakistan. Reported from Taiwan.

Biology

Biology poorly known. But its minute eyes suggest that it may be adapted to turbid water with poor visibility, as in large tropical rivers and muddy estuaries. Newborn specimens are from 56 to 61 cm long. Viviparous. Its notoriety may have stemmed from its widespread confusion with C. leucas. But this species is potentially dangerous as well because of its size and large teeth, though its reputation as a man-eater is still unproven.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Glyphis gangeticus
Family
Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Order
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
204
Environment
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; amphidromous
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Hooghly River, Ganges system, West Bengal, India, and likely from the vicinity of Karachi, Pakistan. Reported from Taiwan.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Critically Endangered (CR) (A2cde; C2b)
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic
Uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Assuming Fec

Sources

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

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