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Species: Carcharhinus falciformis, Silky Shark

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

slender
uniform color
D1 small, orgin behind pectoral
D2 < A, both low, free rear tips long
pectoral: long, narrow, curved

Carcharhinus falciformis (Müller & Henle, 1839)

Silky Shark

Slender-bodied (body depth 11.5-17.5% of TL); snout flat and rounded, < mouth width; large round eyes; top teeth serrated on tip (fine) and base (coarse), straight (at front) to slightly oblique (on sides of jaws), with notch on outer side, narrow points, lower teeth with narrow points; a low, narrow ridge on back between dorsal fins; origin of first dorsal fin behind free rear tips of pectoral fin; first dorsal fin small, low, (height 5.2-9.9% of TL), with narrowly rounded tip and convex rear edge; origin of second dorsal ~ over anal origin; 2nd dorsal < anal fin, both low (height ~1/2 length) with long free rear tips; pectoral long, narrow, curved; tail base without keel; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, with well developed lower lobe, undulating ridge along dorsal surface of top lobe, and a notch under tip of that lobe.

Grey to dark grey dorsally, shading to white ventrally, sometimes with faint band of white invading grey of upper abdomen; first dorsal fin unmarked; second dorsal, anal, lower caudal lobe and pectoral fins may have dusky tips.

Grows to 330 cm; size at birth 70-87 cm.

Habitat: found inshore but more abundant offshore.

Depth: 0-920 m.

Circumtropical; the Gulf of California to northern Peru.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Offshore
  • Inshore
  • In & Offshore
Water Column Position
  • Mid Water
  • Surface
  • Near Surface
  • Water column only
Habitat
  • Water column
FishBase Habitat
  • Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Carnivore
Diet
  • Bony fishes
  • Pelagic crustacea
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
  • Data
Egg Type
  • Live birth
  • No data
  • No pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
  • TEP non-endemic
  • "Transpacific" (East + Central &/or West Pacific)
  • All species
  • East Pacific + Atlantic (East +/or West)
  • East Pacific + all Atlantic (East+West)
  • All Pacific (West + Central + East)
  • Transisthmian (East Pacific + Atlantic of Central America)
Regional Endemism
  • Eastern Pacific non-endemic
  • Continent
  • Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) non-endemic
  • All species
  • Island (s)
  • Continent + Island (s)
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
  • Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
  • South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
  • North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
  • Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
IUCN Red List
  • Near threatened
  • Listed
CITES
  • Listed
  • Appendix II
Length Max
  • 330
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 920