Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Carcharhinus limbatus (Müller & Henle, 1839)

tiburón punta negra, tiburón macuira, tiburón volador, Blacktip shark

Adult male of Carcharhinus limbatus, Darwin's Arch, Galapagos. Photo: Sofia Green, CDF.
Adult male of Carcharhinus limbatus, Darwin's Arch, Galapagos. Photo: Sofia Green, CDF.

Black tips and edging fade with age and may be indestinct, especieally on first dorsal. Silvery brown to gray on back, fanding to white underside. Size: Largest individual measured 2.55 m

Habitat: Prefer inshore waters and lagoons, cruise over rocky reefs, boulder strewn slopes and along walls. Occasionally large schools in surface water

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Chordata

Class
Elasmobranchii

Order
Carcharhiniformes

Suborder
Galeomorphi

Family
Carcharhinidae

Genus
Carcharhinus

Species
limbatus

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Carcharhinus natator Meek & Hildebrand, 1923, Carcharias abbreviatus Klunzinger, 1871, Carcharias aethalorus Jordan & Gilbert, 1882, Carcharias ehrenbergi Klunzinger, 1871, Carcharias limbatus Müller & Henle, 1839, Carcharias maculipinna Günther, 1868, Carcharias microps Lowe, 1841, Carcharias muelleri Steindachner, 1867, Carcharias phorcys Jordan & Evermann, 1903, Carcharias pleurotaenia Bleeker, 1852, Eulamia pleurotaenia (Bleeker, 1852), Gymnorhinus abbreviatus (Klunzinger, 1871), fide Appeltans et al. (2010)

Taxon origin: Native

Status

Near threatened

Distribution

Distribution: eastern Pacific; Widespread in tropical and subtropical Pacific; in the eastern Pacific from California and the lower Gulf of California to Peru, also Revillagigedos and Ecuador in the Galápagos Islands.

References

  • Grove, J.S. Lavenberg, R.J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. 862 pp.
  • Humann, P. Deloach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification - Galapagos. New World Publication, Inc. Florida USA & Libri Mundi, Quito, Ecuador, 226 pp.
  • Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
  • IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 April 2010.
  • Burgess, H.G. Branstetter, S. (2005) Carcharhinus limbatus www.iucnredlist.org
  • Froese, R. Pauly, D. (eds.) (2010) FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org
  • McCosker, J.E. Rosenblatt, R.H. (2010) The fishes of the Galápagos Archipelago: an update. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sc., Ser. 4, vol. 61, Suppl. II, no. 11: 167-195.
  • Banks, S. Vera, M. & Chiriboga, A. (2009) Establishing Reference Points to Assess Long-Term Change in Zooxanthellate Coral Communities of the Northern Galapagos Coral Reefs. J. Sci. Conserv. in the Galapagos Islands, p. 43-64.
  • Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.