Pigeye shark (Carcharhinus amboinensis)

Scientific name: Carcharhinus amboinensis M?ller & Henle, 1839

Pigeye shark (Carcharhinus amboinensis)

The Pigeye shark (Carcharhinus amboinensis) is a brackish-water fish of the family Carcharhinidae.

Biology

An inshore species of the continental and insular shelves, commonly inhabiting shallow waters close inshore, near the surf line and along beaches. May also be found in shallow bays and estuaries, as well as off the open coast but not ascending rivers. Predominantly demersal but found throughout the water column. Feeds on pelagic and demersal bony fishes, sharks and rays, squid, shrimps, cuttlefish, octopi, lobsters, gastropods and mammalian carrion. Viviparous. Potentially dangerous but not recorded in shark attacks to date. Utilized fresh and dried-salted for human consumption.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Carcharhinus amboinensis
Family
Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Order
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
280
Depth range
0–150 m (0–492 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 150 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: Nigeria. Indo-West Pacific: Gulf of Aden, South Africa, Madagascar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Also reported from the Mediterranean (Often confused with sympatric Carcharhinus leucas and Glyphis gangeticus but the three are distinguishable.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=3)

Sources

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

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