Loxodon macrorhinus

Characteristic features:

Colour:

Dorsal surfaces bronze to greyish. Pectoral, pelvic and lower caudal fins with pale tips. Ventral surfaces almost white.

Size:

Maximum size up to 99 cm TL; birth size 40–55 cm TL.

Distribution:

Found throughout the Indo–West Pacific, in tropical and subtropical waters.

Habitat:

Occurs near bottom in shallow, clear, inshore waters in depths of 7–100 m.

Biology:

Feeds primarily on small bony fish (particularly anchovies), crustacean and cephalopods. Length at maturity is 66–79 and 62–82 for females and males respectively. Age at maturity is 1.4 and 1.9 years for females and males respectively. Females display a viviparous with yolk-sac placenta reproductive mode and produce 2–4 pups. In north-eastern Australia females give birth each December or January after a 9–12 month gestation. Size at birth varies regionally (e.g. 54–55 cm TL in Indonesia vs. 40–43 cm TL in northern Australia). Maximum age reported as at least 9 and 7 years for females and males respectively.

Indonesian fisheries:

Caught frequently by inshore demersal gillnet fisheries. Utilised for its fins and meat, but of limited value due to its small size.

Similar species:

Rhizoprionodon spp.

Rhizoprionodon acutus

Rhizoprionodon spp. differ in having no posterior notches on eyes (vs. posterior notches present); an anal fin much larger than second dorsal fin (vs. second dorsal fin and anal fin similarly sized) and an anal-fin posterior margin that is almost straight (vs. deeply notched).

to Rhizoprionodon spp.

Scoliodon macrorhynchos
Pacific spadenose shark

Scoliodon macrorhynchos differ in having no posterior notch on eyes (vs. posterior notch present); pectoral fins broadly triangular (vs. narrow) and posterior margin of caudal fin only shallowly concave (vs. deeply incised).

to Scoliodon macrorhynchos

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM