Species: Nasolamia velox, Whitenose Shark
snout: long, narrow, conical, tip - black & white spot
eye large
Nasolamia velox (Gilbert in Jordan & Evermann, 1898)
Whitenose Shark
A slender shark; snout very long, conical and pointed, length before mouth much greater than distance between nostrils; nostrils are close together, very large, nearly transverse slits; lip furrows very short; eyes large, round; upper front teeth with narrow triangular, oblique, serrated tips, lower front teeth slender, straight, serrated; no ridge between dorsals; 5 gill stills, last over pectoral; origin of first dorsal fin just behind rear insertion of pectoral fins; first dorsal fin moderate in size and erect with concave posterior margin; second dorsal fin slightly smaller than anal fin; origin of second dorsal fin over anal fin origin or slightly anterior; pectoral fins moderately broad and triangular; tail base with transverse groove at top; tail asymmetric, curved, upper lobe notched under tip, with large lower lobe.
Grey or brownish grey on back and sides, whitish below; a black spot outlined with white on the upper surface of snout tip; no distinguishing marks on fins.
Reaches at least 165 cm; size at birth 50-55 cm.
Habitat: coastal waters over soft bottoms.
A relatively common shark usually seen in 15-25 m depths, but ranging to at least 190 m.
The Gulf of California to Peru.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Brackish
- Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Mid Water
- Water column only
- Near Bottom
- Habitat
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- Estuary
- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Data
- Carnivore
- Diet
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- Bony fishes
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Data
- Egg Type
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- Data
- No pelagic larva
- Live birth
- Global Endemism
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- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- East Pacific endemic
- All species
- Regional Endemism
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- All species
- Island (s)
- Continent + Island (s)
- TEP endemic
- Continent
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- IUCN Red List
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- Data deficient
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 165
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 190