Carcharhinus leucas

(Müller & Henle, 1839)

Vernacular names
English : Bull shark
French : Requin bouledogue

Classification
Class : Elasmobranchii
Order : Carcharhiniformes
Family : Carcharhinidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Adults can grow to 4 meters in length and weigh up to 316 kg. Massive shark species with very short but wide and blunt snout, small eyes. Coloration dark silvery grey with white belly. Underside of pectoral fins black. Dorsal fin usually dark.

Range and habitat
This species occurs in the subtropical and tropical coastal areas of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, and nearby big rivers. Lives in coastal brackish water areas and nearby river systems, down to 152 m.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : VULNERABLE
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species has a huge range and isn’t usually targeted by fisheries. However it is sometimes persecuted and its favored habitats are threatened.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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