Rhizoprionodon terraenovae (Richardson, 1836)
Atlantic sharpnose shark
Rhizoprionodon terraenovae
photo by Flescher, D.

Family:  Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Max. size:  110 cm TL (male/unsexed); 110 cm TL (female); max.weight: 7,250.0 g; max. reported age: 10 years
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 280 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: New Brunswick, Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Southwest Atlantic: coasts of Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Small, generally gray, streamlined shark, with long pointed snout. Posterior margin of anal fin straight or slightly concave. Second dorsal fin origin well behind anal fin origin (Ref. 26938).
Biology:  Reaches at least 103 cm TL (Ref. 244). Abundant in the continental shelves, from the intertidal to deeper waters. Often occurs close to the surf zone off sandy beaches, and also enclosed bays, sounds, and harbors, in estuaries and river mouths. Feeds on small bony fishes, shrimps, crabs, segmented worms and mollusks (gastropod feet). Viviparous, with 1 to 7 young in a litter (Ref. 27549). Size at birth about 29 to 37 cm. Utilized for human consumption. Minimum depth from Ref. 055195.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 June 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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