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Carcharhinus galapagensis (Snodgrass & Heller, 1905)

Galapagos shark
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Carcharhinus galapagensis   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Carcharhinus galapagensis (Galapagos shark)
Carcharhinus galapagensis
Picture by Randall, J.E.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) > Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Etymology: Carcharhinus: karcharos (Gr.), sharp or jagged; rhinus, an ancient name for sharks, from rhine (Gr.), rasp, both words alluding to a shark's jagged, rasp-like skin. (See ETYFish);  galapagensis: -ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Galapagos Islands, type locality. (See ETYFish).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 286 m (Ref. 58302), usually 30 - 180 m (Ref. 37816). Tropical; 36°N - 34°S, 180°W - 180°E (Ref. 55181)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Circumtropical with a preference for waters around oceanic islands. Eastern Atlantic: including St. Paul's Rocks (Refs. 13121, 52289). Western Indian Ocean: including Walter's Shoal, south of Madagascar. Western Pacific: including Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs. Eastern Pacific: Galápagos (Ref. 58896).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 230.0, range 215 - 245 cm
Max length : 370 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1602); common length : 300 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9253); max. published weight: 85.5 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 24 years (Ref. 31395)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Low inter-dorsal ridge present (Ref.9997). Dark grey above, light below, fins plain or with slightly dusky tips (Ref. 9997).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

A common but habitat-limited tropical shark found close inshore to well as offshore near or on insular or continental shelves (Ref. 244). Prefers clear water with coral and rocky bottoms (Ref. 244). Although a coastal pelagic species, it is capable of crossing considerable distances of open ocean between islands (at least 50 km) (Ref. 244). Juveniles restricted to shallower water, in 25 m or less (Ref. 244; 37816). Found in superficial aggregations (Ref. 244). Tends to feed near the bottom but may take bait from the surface (Ref. 5485). Feeds mainly on bottom fishes, also squid and octopi (Ref. 244). In the Galapagos Is. it preys on sea lions and marine iguanas (Ref. 28023). Inquisitive and sometimes aggressive, displaying a 'hunch' position ( arched back, raised head and lowered caudal and pectoral fins, while twisting and rolling) near divers that may be followed by biting (Ref. 58085). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). 6 to 16 young of 57 to 80 cm are born per litter (Ref. 1602).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Viviparous, with a yolk sac placenta (Ref. 244). 6 to 16 young born at 60-80 cm (Ref. 26346). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/2):251-655. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 244)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 07 December 2018

CITES


CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Traumatogenic (Ref. 4690)





Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet compositions
Food consumptions
Food rations
Predators
Ecology
Ecology
Population dynamics
Growths
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversions
Recruitments
Abundances
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturities
Fecundities
Spawnings
Spawning aggregations
Egg(s)
Egg developments
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Anatomy
Gill areas
Brains
Otoliths
Physiology
Body compositions
Nutrients
Oxygen consumptions
Swimming type
Swimming speeds
Visual pigment(s)
Fish sounds
Diseases / Parasites
Toxicities (LC50s)
Genetics
Genetics
Electrophoreses
Heritabilities
Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.
Outreach
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References
References

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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | National databases | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 15 - 28.2, mean 23.8 °C (based on 1899 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00479 (0.00221 - 0.01036), b=3.09 (2.92 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  4.2   ±0.4 se; based on diet studies.
Generation time: 8.8 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1 growth studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=4).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  High to very high vulnerability (73 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Medium.
Nutrients (Ref. 124155):  Calcium = 3.97 [0.89, 21.70] mg/100g; Iron = 0.329 [0.083, 0.941] mg/100g; Protein = 22.1 [19.2, 24.4] %; Omega3 = 0.0987 [, ] g/100g; Selenium = 46.8 [14.0, 139.5] μg/100g; VitaminA = 39.1 [13.8, 112.6] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.504 [0.236, 0.958] mg/100g (wet weight);