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Table of Contents
The blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) is a species of requiem shark in the Carcharhinidae family, distinguished by the prominent black tips on its fins. It is found in warm coastal water, where it frequently comes into contact with humans.
See the fact file below for more information on Blacktip Reef Shark, or you can download our 30-page Blacktip Reef Shark worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
- The scientific name Carcharias melanopterus is derived from the Greek words melas, which means “black,” and pteron, which means “fin” or “wing,” and refers to the shark’s prominent fin markings.
Scientific Name | Carcharhinus Melanopterus |
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Chondrichthyes |
Order | Carcharhiniformes |
Family | Carcharhinidae |
Genus | Carcharhinus |
TAXONOMY
- The blacktip reef shark was first reported by French naturalists Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard during the corvette Uranie’s exploratory expedition in 1817–1820.
- Other common names for this species include blackfin reef shark, black-finned shark, blacktip shark, reef blacktip shark, and guliman.
CHARACTERISTICS AND ANATOMY
- Blacktip reef sharks are small to medium-sized requiem sharks, having a robust and typical shark figure with a short, broad, and rounded snout.
- The blacktip reef shark’s first dorsal fin is long. The pectoral fins have a pointed tip and are narrow and sickle-shaped.
- The top lobe of the caudal fin is elongated and asymmetrical.
- They have a brownish-tan coloration throughout the dorsal surface with a countershading of white on the underside. They have large oval eyes.
- Their black back helps them blend in with the shadowy seafloor, while a white belly helps them blend in with the lighter water surface, giving them camouflage from above or below.
- They are described as the most “shark-like” because of their long snouts and wide eyes.
- These sharks are recognizable for their black-tipped fins with white highlights similar to the pigment of their underside. Their flank has a light band that extends close above their pectoral fins.
- Its upper teeth range from upright to angled, characterized by having a narrow-triangular shape, with coarser bases of its serrations than its lower teeth (which were more finely serrated). Adult males have more abruptly curved teeth than adult females.
- These sharks usually grow from about 1.6 meters to 2 meters long, having approximately 13.6 kilograms recorded maximum weight by International Game Fish Association (IGFA).
- The blacktip reef shark is sometimes mistaken for the grey reef shark and blacktip shark because they live in the same habitats.
BEHAVIOR
- Blacktip reef sharks are regarded as an unaggressive and harmless species of shark.
- They use special receptors called Ampullae Lorenzini to see their prey and shallow turbid water.
- The blacktip reef shark can be quickly drawn by splashing or striking metal tools against hard surfaces underwater, as well as by the scent of both healthy and injured fish.
- Blacktip reef sharks have small aggregations, particularly when feeding. They are extremely social sharks.
FOOD HABITS
- Blacktip sharks eat primarily fish. Sardines, menhaden, herring, anchovies, ten-pounders, sea catfish, cornetfish, tongue-soles, threadfins, mullet, Spanish mackerel, jacks, groupers, snook, mojarras, emperors, grunts, slipjaws, butterfish, croakers, soles, tilapia, triggerfish, boxfish, and porcupine fish are among the Blacktips will occasionally eat small sharks.
- Other aquatic organisms they eat include guitarfish, skates, butterfly rays, stingrays, eagle rays, squid, cuttlefish, octopi, crabs, and lobsters. When there is competition among sharks for a common, abundant food source, blacktips are prone to a feeding frenzy.
MATING AND REPRODUCTION
- Blacktip reef sharks are viviparous or live-bearing animals.
- Its reproductive cycle is annual off northern Australia, with mating occurring from January to February, as well as off Moorea in French Polynesia, where mating occurs from November to March.
- The gestation period has been reported to be 10-11 months in the Indian Ocean and Pacific islands and 7-9 months off the coast of northern Australia.
- Depending on the area, a female gives birth to two to four pups after a gestation period of seven to sixteen months. While those living in the Indo-Pacific Islands have a lengthier gestation period, those in the Northern Australia region typically have a gestation period of seven to nine months.
- Females use shallow nursery areas inside the reef to give birth from September to November.
- In the Indian Ocean and off northern Australia, newborn pups measure 40-50 cm (16-20 in) long, while free-swimming pups as small as 33 cm (13 in) have been observed in the Pacific islands.
- The litter size ranges from 2 to 5 (typically 4). Young blacktip reef sharks frequently gather in large groups in water barely deep enough to cover their bodies, such as on sand flats or in mangrove swamps near the shore.
HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION
- Blacktip reef sharks prefer shallow, clear water. They are commonly found in atolls, along continental and insular shelves, over reef drop-offs, on reef and sand flats, and in mangrove settings during tidal movements.
- The blacktip reef shark can be found in tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific nearshore waters. It occurs in the Indian Ocean from South Africa to the Red Sea, including Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles, and then eastward along the Indian Subcontinent to Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka, the Andaman Islands, and the Maldives.
- It can be found in the Pacific Ocean from southern China and the Philippines to Indonesia, northern Australia, and New Caledonia. It also lives on several oceanic islands, including the Marshall, Gilbert, Society, and Hawaiian Islands, as well as Tuamotu.
- Younger sharks prefer shallow, sandy flats, whereas older sharks can be found around reef ledges and near reef drop-offs.
THREATS AND PREDATORS
- Humans pose a threat to blacktip sharks due to overfishing by local fishermen, unintentional capture in fishing nets, and commercial fisheries. There is also a demand for their meat, liver, fins, and oil to be used for medicinal purposes.
- The destruction of their habitats, such as mangroves and coral reefs, also poses a threat to blacktip reef sharks because there would be fewer sites to establish nests and hide their young from predators.
- The food supply for blacktip sharks has changed due to rising ocean temperatures and increasing ocean acidity brought on by global warming.
- Fellow apex predators such as large groupers and more giant sharks are a threat, especially for the young blacktip reef sharks.
- The parasites are considered a threat to the blacktip reef sharks. On the sharks’ bodies, the copepods (Pandarus sinuatus and Pandarus smithii) are present as external parasites.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
- The blacktip reef shark plays an important role in structuring inshore ecological communities because it is often the most abundant apex predator within its ecosystem. Its diet consists primarily of small teleost fishes.
- Humans consume blacktip sharks as a food source. Their skin is suitable for making leather goods. Because of its high vitamin content, their liver oil is used for vitamins.
CONSERVATION
- According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) threatened species standards, blacktip reef sharks are classified as “Near Threatened.”
- Blacktip shark populations have declined, as has been the case with many other shark species. This is due to shark overfishing and killing. The blacktip shark is a species that is not currently protected by federal law.
- Despite not being thought to be at immediate risk of species extinction, they are susceptible to the harmful effects of overfishing and habitat destruction.
Blacktip Reef Shark Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Blacktip Reef Shark across 30 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Blacktip Reef Shark, which is a species of requiem shark in the Carcharhinidae family, distinguished by the prominent black tips on its fins.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Blacktip Reef Shark Facts
- Fast Shark Talk
- I Spy
- Blacktip Reef Challenge
- Facts Sharks
- Food Frenzy
- Difference Of Us
- Bucket List
- #Crossword Time
- Friend Or Foe
- Breaking News
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast is a blacktip shark?
Scientific estimates demonstrate that the shark can reach an average speed of 6.3 m/s.
Are blacktip reef sharks aggressive?
Even though blacktip reef sharks might take a bite at people who are swimming or wading, they are not considered dangerous to humans.
What are blacktip sharks known for?
The blacktip shark is a common, mid-sized species of shark that its dark-tipped fins can quickly identify. It is often confused with the spinner shark because they have a similar body shape, and both tend to jump out of the water during feeding frenzies.
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Link will appear as Blacktip Reef Shark Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 10, 2022
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