Grey reef shark
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Valid name.
- English
- Grey reef shark
- Scientific
- Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
- Dhivehi
- ވަށްބޯ މިޔަރުVahboa miyaru
- Group
- Sharks
- Maximum size
- Commonly to 1.6 m; maximum about 1.9 m (MRS) to 2.5 m (FishBase)
- Depth and habitat
- Outer reef slopes, channels and drop-offs, 0 to about 280 m
- IUCN status
- EN · EndangeredEndangered (EN), assessed 2020
Description
A typical reef shark, grey above and white below, with a broad black edge along the rear of the tail and plain or white-tipped dorsal fin. It patrols reef edges, often in groups, feeding on reef fish, squid and crustaceans, mostly at night. When threatened it performs a distinctive display, arching its back, lowering its pectoral fins and swimming stiffly, which can precede an attack. It gives birth to live young every other year.
In the Maldives
The classic Maldivian 'shark dive' shark, gathering in channel mouths when the current runs in. All shark fishing has been banned in the Maldivian EEZ since 2010; in 1993 Anderson and Ahmed estimated a grey reef shark is worth at least 100 times more alive at a dive site than dead.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Carcharhinus-amblyrhynchos.html
- fao.org /4/AD471E/AD471E00.htm
- fishbase.se /comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=861&GenusName=Carcharhinus&SpeciesNam
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ވަށްބޯ_މިޔަރު
- cites.org /sites/default/files/eng/prog/shark/images/Maldives.pdf
- fao.org /docrep/pdf/007/ae500e/ae500e00.pdf
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Corl0207_(28225976491).jpg
Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives, Marine Research Section, Malé (FAO/BOBP MAG/21); Thaana from Dhivehi Wikipedia (fish articles derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition). Also in FishBase common names (country: Maldives) ('Vah boa miyaru').