Glyphis gangeticus (Müller & Henle, 1839)
Ganges shark
Glyphis gangeticus
photo by FAO

Family:  Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Max. size:  204 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine, amphidromous
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: north Indian Ocean, Indus River outside Karachi, Pakistan to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Borneo.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Biology poorly known. But its minute eyes suggest that it may be adapted to turbid water with poor visibility, as in large tropical rivers and muddy estuaries. Newborn specimens are from 56 to 61 cm long. Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Its notoriety may have stemmed from its widespread confusion with C. leucas. But this species is potentially dangerous as well because of its size and large teeth, though its reputation as a man-eater is still unproven.
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 22 January 2021 (A2cd; C2a(i)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  traumatogenic
Country info:  Occurs in the Ganges-Hooly river system and Khulna.


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