Carcharhinus sorrah (Valenciennes, 1839)
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. A small, spindle-shaped shark with a long, rounded snout, large circular eyes, and oblique-cusped serrated teeth; 2nd dorsal fin very low; interdorsal ridge present (Ref. 5578). 2nd dorsal, pectorals and lower caudal lobe with dark tips; 1st dorsal with thin but conspicuous dark tip; pelvic fins and upper caudal lobe plain (Ref. 5485). Grey or grey-brown above, white below with a golden-brown sheen on the area between eyes and gill slits (in fresh specimens); pectorals, second dorsal, and lower caudal fin lobe with conspicuous black tips, first dorsal and upper caudal fin lobe with black edging (Ref. 9997). A dark band on flank extending rearwards to pelvic fins (Ref. 9997).
Common Names
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Elasmobranchii
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus: Carcharhinus
Species: Carcharhinus sorrah (Valenciennes, 1839)
Climate Zone
Location
Biology
Found on the continental and insular shelves, primarily near reefs (Ref. 244). Sometimes in offshore waters (Ref. 30573). Live near the seabed during the day and near the surface at night (Ref. 6390). Feeds on bony fishes (Ref. 68964). Shark movements often short (50 km) but may be more than 1,000 km (Ref. 6390). Prefers teleost fishes but also feeds on cephalopods and crustaceans (Ref. 6871). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Regularly caught by local artisanal and small-scale commercial fisheries where it occurs (Ref. 244). Utilized as a food fish; fins used in the oriental shark fin trade, liver for vitamin oil, and offal for fishmeal (Ref. 9997).
Habitat
brackish