Australian Sharpnose Shark
| Australian Sharpnose Shark | ||||||||||||
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Australian Sharpnose Shark ( Rhizoprionodon taylori ) |
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| Rhizoprionodon taylori | ||||||||||||
| ( Ogilby , 1915) |
The Australian sharp-nosed shark ( Rhizoprionodon taylori ) is a species of the sharp-nosed sharks ( Rhizoprionodon ) within the Requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae). The species is common in the tropical waters off the coast of Northern Australia.
Appearance and characteristics
The Australian sharp-nosed shark is a comparatively small shark with an average body length of around 50 cm and a maximum length of over 67 centimeters. It is similar to the gray sharp-nosed shark ( R. oligolox ) and has a bronze to grayish body color and a light-colored belly region without pattern. The tips of the dorsal fins and the upper caudal fin lobe and the edges of the caudal fin are dark, the tips of the other fins are lighter in color. The muzzle is long and the mouth is broadly parabolic when viewed from below, the eyes are large and are located relatively high up on the head. The nostrils are narrow and elongated.
It has an anal fin and two dorsal fins . The first dorsal fin is significantly larger than the second and lies slightly in front of or over the free ends of the pectoral fins, while the second arises slightly behind the anal fin. The anal fin is only slightly larger than the second dorsal fin. The caudal fin has a relatively short lower and long upper lobe with a distinct end lobe. Like all species of the genus, the animals have five gill slits and no injection hole , the 4th and 5th gill slits are above the pectoral fin attachment.
Way of life
The Australian sharp-nosed shark is a shallow-water species. It probably feeds predatory on various fish , crustaceans , snails and octopuses . Like the related species, the sharks are viviparous and form a yolk sac placenta ( placental viviparous ). The one to ten young animals are born with a length of about 25 to 30 cm.
The sharks grow very quickly and are sexually mature after a year or with a body length of about 40 cm (males) or about 45 cm (females). After the first mating, the females give birth to offspring every year.
distribution
The Australian Sharpnose Shark is common in the tropical waters of the north coast of Australia. Its habitat is in the area of the continental shelf near coasts.
literature
- Leonard Compagno , Marc Dando, Sarah Fowler: Sharks of the World. Princeton Field Guides, Princeton University Press , Princeton and Oxford 2005; P. 320, ISBN 978-0-691-12072-0 .
Web links
- Australian Sharpnose Shark on Fishbase.org (English)
- Rhizoprionodon taylori inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: Simpfendorfer, CA (SSG Australia & Oceania Regional Workshop, March 2003), 2003. Retrieved December 4, 2013.