Carcharhinus tilstoni

Elasmobranchii Carcharhinidae Genus Carcharhinus Carcharhinus tilstoni
Australian blacktip shark CCU
Characteristic features:
Colour:

Dorsal surfaces bronze, fading to grey after death; a faint white stripe on each side. All fins (except sometimes anal and pelvic fins) black-tipped. Ventral surfaces almost white.

Size:

Maximum size up to 200 cm TL; birth size 55–60 cm TL.

Distribution:

Found only in northern Australia and mainland Papua New Guinea.

Habitat:

Pelagic over continental and coastal shelves, mostly close inshore, but sometimes more offshore. Found from the surface to at least 150 meters depth.

Biology:

Feeds primarily on small bony fish, and also cephalopods. Often forms large aggregations. Length at maturity is 105–115 cm TL and 105–110 cm TL for females and males respectively. Age at maturity for Australian populations is around 3–4 years for both sexes. Reproductive mode is viviparous with yolk-sac placenta. Females give birth in January to 1–6 (average 3) pups after a 10 months gestation period; females breed every year. Maximum age reported for Australian populations is as at least 12 years for females and 8 years for males.

Indonesian fisheries:

Utilised for its fins and meat.

Similar species:
 
 

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides
Graceful shark

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides differs in having a more robust body (vs. more slender) and having a shorter snout (vs. longer).

to Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides

Carcharhinus brevipinna
Spinner shark

Carcharhinus brevipinna

Carcharhinus brevipinna differs in having long and prominent labial furrows; and a longer snout (vs. snout shorter with very short labial furrows) and a relatively low first dorsal fin (vs. relatively tall).

to Carcharhinus brevipinna

Carcharhinus limbatus
Common blacktip shark

Carcharhinus limbatus

Carcharhinus limbatus is almost identical to Carcharhinus tilstoni but differs in having more vertebral centra (precaudal central >92 vs. <91) and ventral pelvic fins with distinct black tips (vs. without distinct black tips).

to Carcharhinus limbatus

Carcharhinus leucas
Bullshark

Carcharhinus leucas

Carcharhinus leucas differs in having snout short and broadly rounded (vs. moderately long and pointed) and upper teeth with broad cusps (vs. narrow erect cusps).

to Carcharhinus leucas
External links:

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM