Oceanic whitetip shark
Carcharhinus longimanus
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Oceanic whitetip shark
- Scientific
- Carcharhinus longimanus
- Dhivehi
- ފީ މިޔަރުFee miyaru
- Group
- Sharks
- Maximum size
- Up to about 4 m (total length); commonly 2.7 m; max. published weight 167.4 kg (FishBase); MRS 1997 gives max. possibly 3.9 m
- Depth and habitat
- Open ocean, near the surface and in mid-water, recorded from 0 to 1082 m (usually 0 to 152 m)
- IUCN status
- CR · Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered (CR), assessed 2018CITES Appendix II
Description
A stocky oceanic shark with huge, rounded, white-tipped first dorsal and pectoral fins. It cruises slowly in the open ocean, often accompanied by pilot fish and remoras, and feeds on fish, squid and carrion. It is listed as Critically Endangered after steep declines due to fishing.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi name fee miyaru (MRS 1997). MRS calls it a common oceanic shark in Maldivian waters. Sharks are fully protected in the Maldives (since 2010).
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Carcharhinus-longimanus.html
- fao.org /4/AD471E/AD471E00.htm
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ފީ_މިޔަރު
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Oceanic_Whitetip_Shark.png
Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives (FAO/BOBP MAG/21) gives 'Fee miyaru, Feeboa miyaru' (Latin form). Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'ފީ މިޔަރު' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition); it matches the Latin form.