Grey Reef Shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos (Bleeker 1856)

Other Names: Black-vee Whaler, Fowler's Whaler Shark, Graceful Shark, Graceful Whaler Shark, Gray Reef Shark, Longnose Blacktail Shark, School Shark

A Grey Reef Shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, in the Coral Sea, July 2015. Source: Ian Shaw / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:

A dark grey to bronzy-grey shark, paling to white below, with a distinctive broad black margin along the entire posterior edge of the caudal fin, a grey dorsal fin grey with or without an irregular white edge, and dusky to black tips on the second dorsal, anal, pectoral and pelvic fins.

A dangerous shark, especially when threatened, which has been implicated in numerous attacks on humans.

Video of a female Grey Reef shark having her teeth cleaned by cleaner wrasse in the Maldives.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2019, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos in Fishes of Australia, accessed 19 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/2881

Grey Reef Shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos (Bleeker 1856)

More Info

Distribution	Carnarvon, Western Australia, to Bundaberg, Queensland; also in the Lord Howe Island region and Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea, and at Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean. Elsewhere, the species is widespread in the tropical Indo-West Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa, to Easter Island and the Galapagos Islands. Inhabits inshore and offshore reefs, usually on outer slopes, near drop-offs and reef channels with strong currents near the outer edges of reefs.
Features	The Grey Reef Shark has no interdorsal ridge running between the first and second dorsal fins.
Feeding	Carnivore - typically feeds mostly on fishes, as well as consuming molluscs (squids, octopuses) and crustaceans.
Biology	Males mature at 120-140 cm TL, and females at about 125 cm TL. The Grey Reef Shark is aplacental viviparous - the embryos are nourished with a yolksac placenta inside the mother. Females give birth to 1-6 pups after a gestation period of about 12 months. The pups are 45-60 cm in length at birth.
Fisheries	Taken in tropical fisheries throughout its range, although considered valuable for dive tourism.
Remarks	Grey Reef Sharks are territorial and dangerous. They show characteristic erratic threat behaviour when approached or harassed by divers (see diagram in image gallery). Threat displays may culminate in attacks on divers. The display, a response to a potential threat, consists of the shark raising its snout, dropping its pectoral fins, arching its back, and curving its body laterally. While holding this posture, the shark swims with a stiff, exaggerated side-to-side motion, sometimes combined with rolls or figure-8 loops. The intensity of the display increases if the shark is more closely approached or if obstacles are blocking its escape routes, such as landmarks or other sharks. If the diver persists, the shark will either retreat or launch a rapid open-mouthed attack, slashing with its upper teeth (Martin 2007).
Similar Species	Sometimes confused with the Blacktip Reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus, which has a distinct black tip on all fins, including the first dorsal fin.
Species Citation	Carcharias (Prionodon) amblyrhynchos Bleeker, 1856, Natuur. Tijdschr. Neder. Indië 10: 467. Type locality: near Solombo Island, Java Sea.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2019
Resources	Australian Faunal Directory

Grey Reef Shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos (Bleeker 1856)

References

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