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Carcharhinus melanopterus
(Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
Blacktip reef shark
Classification: Elasmobranchii Carcharhiniformes Carcharhinidae
Reference of the original description
Description des Poissons. Chapître IX. In Freycinet, L. de, Voyage autour du monde, entrepris par ordre du roi. Exécuté sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819 et 1820. Paris. Description des Poissons. Description des Poissons. Chapter IX.: 192–401 [1–328 in 1824; 329–616 in 1825], Atlas pls. 43–65
Description des Poissons. Chapître IX. In Freycinet, L. de, Voyage autour du monde, entrepris par ordre du roi. Exécuté sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819 et 1820. Paris. Description des Poissons. Description des Poissons. Chapter IX.: 192–401 [1–328 in 1824; 329–616 in 1825], Atlas pls. 43–65
Image of the original description
Carcharias melanopterus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 valid as Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824), plate 43
Carcharias melanopterus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 valid as Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824), plate 43
Synonyms / new combinations and misspellings
Carcharhinus aff. melanopterus, Carcharhinus cf. melanopterus, Carcharhinus melanoptera, Carcharhinus melanoptures, Carcharias elegans, Carcharias marianensis, Carcharias melanopterus, Carcharias playfairii, Carcharias (Prionace) melanopterus, Carcharias (Prionodon) melanopterus, Carcharinus melanoptera, Carcharinus melanopterus, Eulamia melanoptera, Eulamia melanopterus, Hypoprion playfairi, Hypoprion playfairii, Squalus carcharias minor, Squalus (Carcharinus) melanopterus
Carcharhinus aff. melanopterus, Carcharhinus cf. melanopterus, Carcharhinus melanoptera, Carcharhinus melanoptures, Carcharias elegans, Carcharias marianensis, Carcharias melanopterus, Carcharias playfairii, Carcharias (Prionace) melanopterus, Carcharias (Prionodon) melanopterus, Carcharinus melanoptera, Carcharinus melanopterus, Eulamia melanoptera, Eulamia melanopterus, Hypoprion playfairi, Hypoprion playfairii, Squalus carcharias minor, Squalus (Carcharinus) melanopterus
Types
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Lectotype: MNHN: 1129; Paralectotype: MNHN: 3463 MNHN: 1128; MNHN: 771;
Carcharias elegans
XXXX: No types known;
Carcharias marianensis
Holotype: ZSM: (old collection) lost in WW II;
Carcharias playfairii
Holotype: BMNH: 1867.3.9.427
Squalus carcharias minor
XXXX: No types known;
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Lectotype: MNHN: 1129; Paralectotype: MNHN: 3463 MNHN: 1128; MNHN: 771;
Carcharias elegans
XXXX: No types known;
Carcharias marianensis
Holotype: ZSM: (old collection) lost in WW II;
Carcharias playfairii
Holotype: BMNH: 1867.3.9.427
Squalus carcharias minor
XXXX: No types known;
Description :
Citation: Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824): In: Database of modern sharks, rays and chimaeras, www.shark-references.com, World Wide Web electronic publication, Version 12/2024
Please send your images of "Carcharhinus melanopterus" to info@shark-references.com
Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824), ERB 1239, male, 102,6 cm TL, Indian Ocean © Frederik H. Mollen (Elasmobranch Research Belgium)
Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824), ERB 1239, male, 102,6 cm TL, Indian Ocean © Frederik H. Mollen (Elasmobranch Research Belgium)
Common names
Schwarzspitzen-Riffhai, 
Tiburón de puntas negras, 
Requin noir, Requin pointes noires, Requin à pointes noires, 
Black fin reef shark, Black finned shark, Black tip reef shark, Black tip shark, Black tips nilow, Black-tip reef shark, Blackfin reef shark, Blacktip reef shark, Blacktip reefshark, Blacktip shark, Guliman, Reef blacktip shark, Requien shark, Shark, 
Fungu, Marracho tinteiro de coral, Nyatussue, Tubarão, Tubarão negro, Xituo
Schwarzspitzen-Riffhai, Tiburón de puntas negras, Requin noir, Requin pointes noires, Requin à pointes noires, Black fin reef shark, Black finned shark, Black tip reef shark, Black tip shark, Black tips nilow, Black-tip reef shark, Blackfin reef shark, Blacktip reef shark, Blacktip reefshark, Blacktip shark, Guliman, Reef blacktip shark, Requien shark, Shark, Fungu, Marracho tinteiro de coral, Nyatussue, Tubarão, Tubarão negro, Xituo
Short Description
A small shark with a short, bluntly rounded snout, oval eyes, and narrow-cusped teeth; 2nd dorsal fin large; no interdorsal ridge [536]. Yellow-brown above, white below; all fins conspicuous with black or dark brown tips also anterior and posterior dark edging on pectoral fins and upper lobe of caudal fin; a prominent black tip of first dorsal fin set off abruptly by a light band below it; a conspicuous dark band on flanks, extending rearward to pelvic fins [544].
A small shark with a short, bluntly rounded snout, oval eyes, and narrow-cusped teeth; 2nd dorsal fin large; no interdorsal ridge [536]. Yellow-brown above, white below; all fins conspicuous with black or dark brown tips also anterior and posterior dark edging on pectoral fins and upper lobe of caudal fin; a prominent black tip of first dorsal fin set off abruptly by a light band below it; a conspicuous dark band on flanks, extending rearward to pelvic fins [544].
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands and the Tuamoto Archipelago. Apparently rare or absent in the more easterly groups. Also eastern Mediterranean (through the Suez Canal). Source: www.gbif.org
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands and the Tuamoto Archipelago. Apparently rare or absent in the more easterly groups. Also eastern Mediterranean (through the Suez Canal). Source: www.gbif.org
Human uses
fisheries: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
fisheries: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
Biology
Viviparous, placental [733]. Litter size 2-4 pups [517] after an 8-9 months gestation period (up to 16 months in some localities) [2539]. Size at birth ranges from 33-52 cm [517]; 48-50 cm TL [2539]. Distinct pairing with embrace [17086]. Precopulatory and courtship involve the male closely following near the female"quot;s vent which could possibly be guided by their sense of smell (Ref. 49562, 47987). Inhabits the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific Region; prefers the shallow water close inshore and in the intertidal zone (reef flats), near reef drop-offs and close offshore [517] [17640]. Also found in mangrove areas, moving in and out with the tide [1388] and even in freshwater, but not in tropical lakes and rivers far from the sea [544]. The young inhabit shallow lagoons [17641]. Feeds on fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods and other mollusks [1388]. May become aggressive to spear fishers and has been reported to bite people wading in shallow water [1388].
Viviparous, placental [733]. Litter size 2-4 pups [517] after an 8-9 months gestation period (up to 16 months in some localities) [2539]. Size at birth ranges from 33-52 cm [517]; 48-50 cm TL [2539]. Distinct pairing with embrace [17086]. Precopulatory and courtship involve the male closely following near the female"quot;s vent which could possibly be guided by their sense of smell (Ref. 49562, 47987). Inhabits the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific Region; prefers the shallow water close inshore and in the intertidal zone (reef flats), near reef drop-offs and close offshore [517] [17640]. Also found in mangrove areas, moving in and out with the tide [1388] and even in freshwater, but not in tropical lakes and rivers far from the sea [544]. The young inhabit shallow lagoons [17641]. Feeds on fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods and other mollusks [1388]. May become aggressive to spear fishers and has been reported to bite people wading in shallow water [1388].
Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=789;
shark-references Species-ID=789;
Parasites (arranged by Jürgen Pollerspöck)
Myxosporea
Cestoda
Nematoda
Copepoda
Isopoda
Hirudinea
Myxosporea
- Ceratomyxa carcharhini Gleeson & Adlard, 2011 [13965]
- Ceratomyxa melanopteri Gleeson & Adlard, 2011 [13965]
Cestoda
- Anthobothrium lesteri Williams, Burt & Caira, 2004 [7392]
- Callitetrarhynchus gracilis (Rudolphi, 1819) Pintner, 1931 [16112] [15747] [21718]
- Dasyrhynchus basipunctatus (Carvajal, Campbell & Cornford, 1976) [21718]
- Dasyrhynchus giganteus (Diesing 1850) Pintner 1929 [16112]
- Dollfusiella sp. [16112]
- Eutetrarhynchus sp. [16112]
- Floriceps minacanthus Campbell & Beveridge, 1987 [21226] [16112]
- Mixonybelinia edwinlintoni (Dollfus, 1960) [17845] [16112]
- Nybelinia africana Dollfus, 1960 [16112]
- Nybelinia queenslandensis Jones & Beveridge, 1998 [16124] [16112] [15747] [21718]
- Otobothrium alexanderi Palm, 2004 [16112] [17826]
- Otobothrium australe Palm, 2004 [17826]
- Otobothrium carcharidis (Shipley & Hornell, 1906) [16256] [16112] [24083] [17826] [21816]
- Otobothrium crenacolle Linton, 1890 [24083]
- Otobothrium cysticum (Mayer, 1842) [16112]
- Otobothrium penetrans Linton, 1907 [16112]
- Otobothrium sp. [17826]
- Phyllobothrium minutum Williams, 1968 [16443]
- Phyllobothrium pammicrum Shipley & Hornell, 1906 [16443]
- Platybothrium jondoeorum Healy, 2003 [7384]
- Prochristianella sp. [16112]
- Pterobothrium heteracanthum Diesing, 1850 [16283] [16112]
- Scyphophyllidium angustum (Linton, 1889) Ruhnke, 2011 [27172]
- Tentacularia coryphaenae Bosc, 1797 [16112]
- Tetrarhynchobothrium sp. [15747]
Nematoda
- Huffmanela carcharhini (Maccallum, 1925) [31368]
- Huffmanela selachii Al-Sabi, Ibrahim,Al-Hizab, Al-Jabr, Al-Shubaythi & Huffman, 2022 [31270]
- Pulchrascaris chiloscyllii (Johnston & Mawson, 1951) [16939] [17029] [27918]
- Pulchrascaris sp. [16939]
Copepoda
Isopoda
- Gnathia trimaculata Coetzee, Smit, Grutter & Davies, 2009 [7418]
Hirudinea
- Pontobdella macrothela (Schimarda, 1861) [28595]
Image gallery
