Silky shark
Carcharhinus falciformis
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Silky shark
- Scientific
- Carcharhinus falciformis
- Dhivehi
- އޮއިވާލި މިޔަރުOivaali miyaru
- Group
- Sharks
- Maximum size
- Up to about 3.5 m (total length); commonly 2.5 m; max. published weight 346 kg (FishBase); MRS 1997 gives max. 3.3 m
- Depth and habitat
- Coral reefs and reef-associated habitats, recorded from 0 to 4000 m (usually 0 to 500 m)
- IUCN status
- VU · VulnerableVulnerable (VU), assessed 2017CITES Appendix II
Description
A large, slim, grey requiem shark with a small first dorsal fin, a very long rear tip on the low second dorsal fin and smooth, silky skin. It lives in the open ocean and along outer reef slopes and often follows schools of tuna. It is listed as Vulnerable, largely because of catches as bycatch in tuna fisheries.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi names oivaali miyaru and ainu miyaru (MRS 1997). MRS calls it the commonest oceanic shark in Maldivian waters; oivaali refers to young sharks sheltering under drifting objects and ainu to its habit of swimming with tuna schools. Sharks are fully protected in the Maldives (since 2010).
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Carcharhinus-falciformis.html
- fao.org /4/AD471E/AD471E00.htm
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/އޮއިވާލި_މިޔަރު
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Carcharhinus_falciformis_off_Cuba.jpg
Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives (FAO/BOBP MAG/21) gives 'Oivaali miyaru, Ainu miyaru' (Latin form). Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'އޮއިވާލި މިޔަރު' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition); it matches the Latin form.