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Species: Nasolamia velox, Whitenose Shark

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slender body
snout: long, narrow, conical, tip - black & white spot
eye large
nostrils: large, transverse, very close

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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.


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Salinity
  • Brackish
  • Marine
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Mid Water
  • Water column only
  • Near Bottom
Habitat
  • Estuary
  • Water column
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Carnivore
Diet
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Data
Egg Type
  • Data
  • No pelagic larva
  • Live birth
Global Endemism
  • Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
  • East Pacific endemic
  • All species
Regional Endemism
  • All species
  • Island (s)
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • TEP endemic
  • Continent
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • 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
  • Data deficient
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 165
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 190