Carcharhinus dussumieri
Scientific Name:-
Carcharhinus dussumieriCommon Name:-
Whitecheek Shark / Widemouth Blackspot Shark
Malayalam Name:-
Vellachekidan Sravu
Category:-
Fishes
Status:-
Classified as Near Threatened in IUCN Redlist of species.
Image Courtesy: JE Randall
http://www.fishbase.org/
Description:-
Species with a moderately long snout; upper anterior teeth are oblique and blade-like, coarsely serrated, with lateral margin deeply notched and with several large and serrated basal cusplets; lower anterior teeth are narrower, slightly oblique, lateral margins notched and usually without large basal serrae, finely serrated; total tooth row counts 27-29/24-30, or 52-59; interdorsal space often without a ridge, 17.9-20.8% TL; first dorsal fin relatively low and not falcate, origin over middle of pectoral-fin inner margin, length 14.3-16.2% TL, 1.4-1.6 times height, inner margin 2.2-2.5 in base; second dorsal fin is much smaller, broadly triangular, height 32-37% of first dorsal-fin height, origin about opposite anal fin origin; anal fin is slightly falcate, height 1.0-1.2 times second dorsal-fin height, base 0.9-1.1 times second dorsal fin base; body colour pale brownish dorsally, whitish ventrally; second dorsal fin with a black blotch on upper third of fin, not extending onto upper surface of body and very well defined from ground colour, while other fins mostly plain; total vertebral counts 123-138; monospondylous precaudal counts 42-48; diplospondylous precaudal counts 20; diplospondylous caudal counts 59-70; precaudal counts 62-68 (White, 2012)
Threats:-
In Kerala rarely caught in deep sea trawl nets.
Remark:-
A common but little-known shark found on the continental and insular inshore areas and often recorded from Kerala coast.
Habitat:-
Marine; reef-associated
Synonyms:-
Carcharhinus menisorrah (Müller & Henle, 1839); Carcharhinus tjutjot (Bleeker, 1852); Carcharias dussumieri Müller & Henle, 1839; Carcharias javanicus Bleeker, 1852; Carcharias malabaricus Day, 1873; Carcharias tjutjot Bleeker, 1852
References:-
Akhilesh K.V., K. K. Bineesh, A. Gopalakrishnan, J. K. Jena, V. S. Basheer and N. G. K. Pillai (2014). Checklist of Chondrichthyans in Indian waters. Mar. Biol. Ass. India, 56 (1), 109-120.
Bailly, N. (2015). Carcharhinus dussumieri. In: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2015) FishBase. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=217347 on 2015-06-15
Bennett, M.B. & Kyne, P.M. (SSG Australia & Oceania Regional Workshop, March 2003) 2003. Carcharhinus dussumieri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 15 June 2015.
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.
Venkataraman, K., John Milton, M.C. and Raghuram, K.P. 2003. Handbook on Sharks of Indian Waters: Diversity, Fishery status, Trade and Conservation. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.
White, W.T., 2012. A redescription of Carcharhinus dussumieri and C. sealei, with resurrection of C. coatesi and C. tjutjot as valid species (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhinidae). Zootaxa 3241:1-34.