Carcharhinus altimus (Springer, 1950)
Bignose shark
Carcharhinus altimus
photo by Cambraia Duarte, P.M.N. (c)ImagDOP

Family:  Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Max. size:  300 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 168 kg
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 12 - 810 m
Distribution:  Circumglobal: tropical to temperate watersin the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Introduced in the Mediterranean via Gibralltar.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0. A heavily-bodied, cylindrical shark with a large, long and broad snout, long nasal flaps and high, triangular, saw-edged upper teeth; interdorsal ridge high and prominent; pectoral and dorsal fins large and straight (Ref. 5578). Grayish with no conspicuous markings, white below (Ref. 5578); inner corners of pectoral fins blackish (Ref. 9997).
Biology:  Found near the edge of the continental and insular shelves and uppermost slopes (Ref. 244). Rare in shallow waters (Ref. 9997), bottom associated near shelf breaks and drop-offs; young may occur at 25 m (Ref. 58302). Feeds on bony fishes, other sharks, stingrays, and cuttlefish (Ref. 244). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Utilized for fishmeal, liver oil, and shagreen (Ref. 9997). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 244.
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 14 February 2020 (A2d) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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