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Rhizoprionodon porosus  (Poey, 1861)

Caribbean sharpnose shark
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Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2100
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Rhizoprionodon porosus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Rhizoprionodon porosus (Caribbean sharpnose shark)
Rhizoprionodon porosus
Male picture by Monzini, J.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) > Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Etymology: Rhizoprionodon: Greek, rhiza = root + Greek, prion = saw + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; freshwater; brackish; reef-associated; depth range ? - 500 m (Ref. 244), usually ? - 100 m (Ref. 244).   Tropical; 28°N - 40°S, 88°W - 32°W (Ref. 55194)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Atlantic: Caribbean, including the Bahamas, south to Uruguay. The separation of this species from Rhizoprionodon terraenovae whether as a distinct species or a representative of a southern subspecies is still uncertain and pending until detailed studies are commenced.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 65.0, range 80 - ? cm
Max length : 113 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 111958); common length : 75.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); max. published weight: 7.5 kg (Ref. 111958)

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Common in bays and estuaries often entering rivers. Also found in offshore waters at depths of about 500 m, generally less than 100 m. Feeds mainly on small bony fishes, including wrasses, but also marine snails, squid and shrimp. Viviparous, with 2 to 6 young in a litter. Size at birth about 31 to 39 cm. Utilized salted or frozen for human consumption and processed into fish meal. Not dangerous (Ref. 9710).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205). Viviparous, placental (Ref. 50449).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/2):251-655. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 244)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Fisheries: commercial
FAO(Publication : search) | FIRMS (Stock assessments) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

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Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805):  PD50 = 0.5078   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00219 (0.00138 - 0.00347), b=3.11 (2.98 - 3.24), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).
Trophic Level (Ref. 69278):  4.0   ±0.2 se; Based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 69278):  Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=2; K=0.3-0.42).
Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Moderate to high vulnerability (51 of 100) .
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Medium.