Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

Scientific name: Carcharodon carcharias Linnaeus, 1758

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

The Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is a brackish-water fish of the family Lamnidae.

Biology

Primarily a coastal and offshore inhabitant of continental and insular shelves, but may also occur off oceanic islands far from land. Often close inshore to the surf line and even penetrates shallow bays. Pelagic, capable of migration across oceanic regions. Usually solitary or in pairs but can be found in feeding aggregations of 10 or more; does not form schools. Feeds on bony fishes, sharks, rays, seals, dolphins and porpoises, sea birds, carrion, squid, octopi and crabs and whales. Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother. Number of young born per litter, 7 to 14. Reported by some experts to attack humans which they mistake for their normal prey. Most attacks occur in estuari

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Carcharodon carcharias
Family
Lamnidae (Mackerel sharks or white shark)
Order
Lamniformes (Mackerel sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
792
Common length
600
Depth range
0–1280 m (0–4199 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous; depth range 0 - 1280 m, usually 0 - 250 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Cosmopolitan, mostly amphitemperate. Western Atlantic: Newfoundland, Canada to Argentina; also north Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Cuba and Lesser Antilles. Eastern Atlantic: France to South Africa, including the Mediterranean. Indian Ocean: Red Sea, Seychelles, South Africa; also Reunion and Mauritius. Western Pacific: Siberia to New Zealand and the Marshall Islands; also south Australia. Central Pacific: Hawaii. Eastern Pacific: Alaska to Chile. International trade cooperation, Australia (CITES Appendix III, since 28.5.2003; CMS Appendix I and II).
Conservation status (IUCN)
Vulnerable (VU) (A2cd+3cd)
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (K=0.06; tm=8-12; tmax=36; Fec=7)

Sources

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

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