Blacktip shark
📖 Overview
An inshore and offshore shark found on or adjacent to continental and insular shelves . Often off river mouths and estuaries, muddy bays, mangrove swamps, lagoons, and coral reef drop-offs . Bottom associated or pelagic . Young common along beaches . Active hunter in midwater . Feeds mainly on pelagic and benthic fishes, also small sharks and rays, cephalopods and crustaceans. Viviparous . Produces litters of one to 10 young . Incriminated in very few attacks but dangerous when provoked . Often taken by shore anglers . Used fresh for human consumption, hides for leather, liver for oil . Parthenogenesis has been observed in a captive female .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. A stout shark with a long, narrow, pointed snout, long gill slits and erect, narrow-cusped upper teeth; first dorsal fin high; no interdorsal ridge . Dark grey, ashy blue or dusky bronze on back, belly white or yellowish white; a dark band extending rearward along each side to about over origin of pelvic fin; tips of pelvic fins with a persistent black spot; tips of dorsal fins, pectoral fins, anal, and lower lobe of caudal fin usually black or dusky in young individuals, fading with growth .: fusiform / normal.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Blacktip shark is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Distinct pairing with embrace . Viviparous, with a yolk-sac placenta, 1 to 10 young per litter. Gestation period is 10 to 12 months. Nursery and pupping grounds are located inshore where pregnant females go to drop their young. Females are thought to spawn only every two years. Size at birth 38-72 cm ; 55-66 cm TL.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; reef-associated; amphidromous ; depth range 0 - 140 m , usually 0 - 30 m . Subtropical; 45°N - 38°S, 180°W - 180°E South Africa to China, Australia, Tahiti, Marquesas, and Hawaii.
🌿 Ecology
pelagic and benthic fishes, also small sharks and rays, cephalopods and crustaceans (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
⚠️ Venom Profile
- immediate intense pain
- swelling
- erythema
- occasional nausea and weakness
Analgesia; wound care; tetanus prophylaxis; severe cases may require monitoring for systemic effects.
References: Compiled from Bhide (2018), Halstead et al. (1988) and family-specific envenomation literature
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Carcharhinus Limbatus is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 23.4 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 178 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Blacktip shark has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🔍 Similar Species
👥 Community & Contribute
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