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Carcharhinus albimarginatus (Rüppell, 1837)

Silvertip shark
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Carcharhinus albimarginatus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Carcharhinus albimarginatus (Silvertip shark)
Carcharhinus albimarginatus
Picture by Honeycutt, K.


Palau country information

Common names: Besachel
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Found in Tobi, Helen Reef, and Merir (Ref. 99878). Also Ref. 244, 9997, 37816.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/ps.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Helfman, G.S. and J.E. Randall, 1973
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Nombres comunes | Sinónimos | Catalog of Fishes(Género, Especie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranquios (tiburones y rayas) (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);  albimarginatus: albus (L.), white; marginatus (L.), bordered, referring to white fin tips. (See ETYFish).
  More on author: Rüppell.

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

marino asociado a arrecife; rango de profundidad 0 - 800 m (Ref. 6871), usually 20 - ? m (Ref. 30874).   Tropical; 32°N - 31°S, 31°E - 77°W (Ref. 55177)

Distribución Países | Áreas FAO | Ecosistemas | Ocurrencias, apariciones | Point map | Introducciones | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa, including Madagascar, Seychelles, Aldabra Group, Mauritius and the Chagos Archipelago east to Tuamotu Is., north to Japan and south to Australia (Ref. 244). Not confirmed in west Atlantic (Ref. 58085).

Length at first maturity / Tamaño / Peso / Age

Maturity: Lm 187.3, range 160 - 200 cm
Max length : 300 cm TL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 2334); common length : 200 cm NG macho / no sexado; (Ref. 30874); peso máximo publicado: 162.2 kg (Ref. 40637)

Short description Claves de identificación | Morfología | Morfometría

Espinas dorsales (total) : 0; Espinas anales: 0. First dorsal fin and pectoral fins angular, and not expanded; upper teeth triangular; interdorsal ridge present (Ref. 1602, 5578). Dark grey or grey-brown above, white below; all fins with conspicuous white tips and posterior margins (Ref. 9997).

Biología     Glosario (por ej. epibenthic)

An inshore and offshore shark found over or adjacent to continental and insular shelves and offshore banks (Ref. 244). Prefers offshore islands, coral reefs and banks (Ref. 244). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feeds mainly on benthic and midwater fishes (including scombrids), also rays, cephalopods (Ref. 244, 1602), and small sharks and crustaceans (Ref. 89972). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Up to 11 young, size 50 to 60 cm, are born after a gestation period of 12 months (Ref. 1602, 37816). Potentially dangerous (Ref. 9997). Presumably taken by fisheries in areas where it occurs (Ref. 9997). Caught irregularly by shark and tuna longline and tuna gillnet fisheries. Utilized for its fins (high value in adults), meat, skin and cartilage (Ref.58048). Probably utilized fresh and dried-salted for human consumption (Ref. 9997). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 86942.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproducción | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larva

Viviparous, placental (Ref. 50449). With 1 to 11 pups per litter (usually 5 or 6) (Ref. 244). Gestation period is about one year, young are born in summer (Ref. 244). Size at birth 55 to 80 cm (Ref. 2334); 713-81 cm TL (Ref.58048). In southern hemisphere, both breeding and pupping occur in summer (Ref. 37816). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | Referencias | Coordinador : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Colaboradores

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)

  Vulnerable, ver lista roja de la UICN (VU) (A2bd); Date assessed: 17 February 2015

CITES (Ref. 128078)


CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Traumatogenic (Ref. 4690)




Human uses


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