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Species: Rhizoprionodon longurio, Pacific sharpnose Shark

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snout long, pointed
eye large
C rear edge black
Ds small, D1 origin ~over pectoral rear tip
D2 origin over rear 1/3 A base
long crests before A
pectoral small, triangular

Rhizoprionodon longurio (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882)

Pacific Sharpnose Shark

Body slender; long pointed snout (as long as width of mouth); large round eyes; small, widely spaced nostrils; a long, prominent furrow over rear of top lip; no spiracle; large round eyes; front teeth on both jaws with narrow, oblique points, serrated in adults; five gill slits, last two over pectoral; two small dorsal fins, first much larger, with origin ~ over/slightly before pectoral free rear tip; second dorsal origin over last 1/3 of base of anal fin, fin slightly smaller than anal fin; no or rudimentary ridge between dorsals; pectorals small, broad, triangular; each anal fin with a long, conspicuous ridge before it; tail base with a crescentic transverse pit on top, another pit under bottom; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, with large lower lobe, top lobe notched under tip.

Grey or grey brown on back and sides, white below; rear edge and upper tip of tail fin broadly black.

Maximum size to at least 122 cm, possibly 154 cm; size at birth 33-34 cm.

A relatively common inshore shark often living in shallow estuarine waters.

Depth: 0-100 m depth.

Southern California to Peru.


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Salinity
  • Freshwater
  • Brackish
  • Marine
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore Only
  • Inshore
Water Column Position
  • Mid Water
  • Bottom + water column
  • Bottom
  • Near Bottom
Habitat
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Freshwater
  • Mud
  • Sand & gravel
  • Estuary
  • Water column
  • Mangrove
FishBase Habitat
  • Bentho-Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
  • Bony fishes
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • Live birth
  • Data
  • No pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
  • East Pacific endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Island (s)
  • All species
  • TEP endemic
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
  • South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
  • Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
  • Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
  • North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
IUCN Red List
  • Data deficient
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 122
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 100