Carcharhinus melanopterus

Species: Carcharhinus melanopterus

English Name: Blacktip Reef Shark

Chinese Name: 烏翅真鯊

Family: Carcharhinidae

Description:

The Blacktip Reef Shark is a yellow-brown small shark with a short and bluntly rounded snout, oval eyes and narrow-cusped teeth. All of its fins are conspicuous with black or dark brown tips also anterior and posterior dark edging on pectoral fins and upper lobe of caudal fin. Can grow up to a length of 200cm for male and female. Lives in shallow water close inshore on coral reefs, mangrove areas and in the intertidal zone. Feeds on fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods and other mollusks. Commercialized for human use.

© 2015 ninfaj

© 2015 ninfaj

© 2010 Laura M. Beauregard

© 2010 Laura M. Beauregard

© 2009 Klaus Stiefel

© 2009 Klaus Stiefel

Photos used under a Creative Commons license

References:

– Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 2 – Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/2):251-655. Rome: FAO.