Species: |
Carcharhinus plumbeus |
Common Names: |
Sandbar Shark |
Family |
Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks) |
Order: |
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Description: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. A stout shark with a moderately long, rounded snout, high, triangular, saw-edged upper teeth, and an interdorsal ridge; 1st dorsal fin very large and erect (Ref. 5578). Grey-brown or bronzy with no prominent markings, white below (Ref. 5578). Fins plain or with slightly dusky tips (Ref. 5485). Max. size: 250 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 11070); max.weight: 117.9 kg (Fish base Ref. 4699) Resilience:Very low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (rm=0.028; K=0.05-0.09; tm=12-16; tmax=32; Fec=5-12) |
Fishery Status:
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fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: show aquarium Utilized for human consumption, for leather and oil (Ref. 244). Marketed fresh, smoked, dried-salted and frozen; fins are valued for soup (Ref. 9987). Used in Chinese medicine (Ref. 12166). Records to 300 cm TL uncertain (Ref. 9997). TL to 300 cm (Ref. 26938). National and Bay Commercial Landings for 1990-2000 Summary Musick, J.A. , (Ref. 36508) , A large, slow-growing, late-maturing and low-fecundity coastal species, common and widespread in subtropical and warm temperate waters world-wide. An important component of shark fisheries in most areas where it occurs, although catch data are sparse. Severely overfished in the western North Atlantic, although the stock still contains over 100,000 individuals and supports an active and now tightly managed fishery. A management plan in US waters implemented in 1993 has led to stock stabilisation and the beginning of recovery. |
Predators: |
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Prey/Food source: |
Feeds mainly on bony fishes, also small sharks, cephalopods, and shrimps (Ref. 5578), rays and gastropods (Ref. 5213). |
Life History: |
Found inshore and offshore, on continental and insular shelves and adjacent deep water (Ref. 244). Common at bays, river mouths and in harbors; avoids sandy beaches and the surf zone, coral reefs and rough bottom, and surface waters (Ref. 244). Sometimes in oceanic waters (Ref. 9997). Known to make extended seasonal migrations in some parts of its range (Ref. 6871). Populations are segregated by age. Young readily kept in aquaria (Ref. 244). |
Habitat & Range: |
Western Atlantic: southern Massachusetts, USA to southern Brazil; also Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Cuba and south and west Caribbean (Ref. 26938) . Eastern Atlantic: Portugal to Dem. Rep. Congo, incuding the Mediterranean. Indo-Pacific: scattered records ranging from the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and East Africa to the Hawaiian Is. Eastern Pacific: Revillagigedo and Galapagos islands (Ref. 28023).
Environment:pelagic; oceanodromous; brackish; marine ; depth range - 1800 m |
Main Reference: |
Compagno, L.J.V.. 1984. (Fish Base Ref. 244) |
