Whitetip reef shark

Whitetip reef shark
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Order:	Carcharhiniformes
Family:	Carcharhinidae
Genus:	Triaenodon Müller & Henle, 1837
Species:	T. obesus
Binomial name
Triaenodon obesus (Rüppell, 1837)

Not to be confused with oceanic whitetip shark.

The whitetip reef shark, Triaenodon obesus, is a requiem shark of the family Carcharhinidae, the only member of the genus Triaenodon.

Habitat and distribution

The whitetip reef shark is one of the most common sharks found in shallow tropical and warm temperate water around coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific oceans. It occurs at depths down to 330 metres (1,080 ft). Snorkelers often encounter these sharks.

Anatomy and appearance

Whitetip reef shark head.

As its name suggests, the tips of the shark's first dorsal fin and upper caudal fin are white. The upper body is grey/brownish. Their average length is about 140 to 160 centimetres (55 to 63 in) and the maximum reported length is 2.1 metres (6 ft 11 in). Its head is broad and flat.

Diet

The whitetip reef shark feeds primarily on crustaceans, octopusi, and fish.

Behavior

This bottom dwelling shark is nocturnal and is often seen resting on the bottom during the day, sometimes in small groups. It is not aggressive and will generally swim away if disturbed, although it may bite if harassed. At night it hunts among crevices in the reef.

Reproduction

Reproduction is viviparous, with one to five pups in a litter, the gestation period being at least five months. The shark's size at birth ranges from 50 centimetres (20 in) to 60 centimetres (24 in). It is estimated that this shark can live for about 25 years and it reaches maturity after about five years.

See also

A whitetip reef shark swimming around a reef.

• List of sharks

References

• Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is near threatened
• "Triaenodon obesus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 23 January. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
• Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Triaenodon obesus". FishBase. October 2005 version.
• "Triaenodon obesus" at the Encyclopedia of Life
• Community monitoring of reef sharks in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea 2008 Australian Underwater Federation

External links

• ARKive - images and movies of the whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus)
• Whitetip Reef shark, Trianodon obesus at marinebio.org