Tope shark

📖 Overview

Mainly demersal on continental and insular shelves, but also on the upper slopes, at depths from near shore to 550 m , but has been shown to be pelagic in the open ocean (frequently caught on floating tuna longlines over deep water, and many New Zealand-tagged specimens have been recaptured in Australia) . Occurs in small schools that are highly migratory in higher latitudes in their range . There is pronounced partial segregation by size and sex in some areas . Feeds on fishes (bottom as well as pelagic species, Ref. 26346), crustaceans, cephalopods, worms, and echinoderms . Ovoviviparous . Targeted for human consumption, liver for squalene oil, fins for soup ; also utilized as fishmeal . Marketed fresh, dried-salted, and frozen . Adapts well in captivity if carefully captured and handled .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. A large houndshark with a long, pointed snout, a large mouth, and small blade-like teeth; 2nd dorsal about as large as anal fin and terminal caudal lobe as long as rest of fin . Greyish above, white below; young with black markings on fins .: elongated.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Tope shark is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

Ovoviviparous, without a yolk-sac placenta . Embryos feed solely on yolk . 6 to 52 young in a litter . Litter size increases with the size of the mother. Embryos reach 30-36 cm TL at birth . In the southern waters of Australia, newly born and older juveniles (30-70 cm long) aggregate in 'nursery areas' found in shallow waters.They move to deeper coastal waters to over-winter. The following spring finds most of these young returning to their nursery areas. The older ones, aged 2 years and over move instead to eastern Bass Strait where most of the immature stock are found. The length of an average full-term embryo is 32 cm. Spawning frequency is once every year, ovulation occurring in early summer and parturition is completed by January of the following year. Gestation period lasts for about 12 months .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; benthopelagic; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 1100 m , usually 2 - 471 m . Subtropical; 70°N - 58°S, 111°E - 37°E

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🎣 Angling Guide

📊 Population Dynamics

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 715 records indexed .

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