Sliteye Shark, Loxodon macrorhinus Müller & Henle 1839
A Sliteye Shark, Loxodon macrorhinus . Source: CSIRO National Fish Collection. License: CC BY Attribution
A small slender shark found in coastal waters throughout the Indo-West Pacific.
Identifying features:
Snout long, narrow with short labial furrows;
Large eyes with rear notches;
Teeth small with smooth edges and oblique cusps;
Second dorsal fin small and low, behind anal fin;
Grey above, pale below, first dorsal fin with a narrow dark margin and a dusky tip; caudal fin with a narrow dark margin.
Sliteye Shark, Loxodon macrorhinus Müller & Henle 1839
More Info
Distribution |
Known in Australian waters from Geraldton, Western Australia, to about Moreton Bay, Queensland. Elsewhere, the species is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific from South Africa to southern Japan and northern Australia. |
Feeding |
Feed on bony fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods. |
Biology |
Females reproduce annually, with litters of two pups born at a length of 40-45 cm. The Sliteye Shark is relatively fast growing and matures early at 60 cm TL - in contrast to large-bodied carcharhinid shark which grow relatively slowly and are late to mature. |
Fisheries |
Although rarely targeted, Sliteye Sharks are commonly taken in artisanal, subsistence and commercial fisheries throughout their range. |
Conservation |
|
Species Citation |
Loxodon macrorhinus Müller & Henle, 1839, Systematische Beschreibung der Plagiostomen: 61, pl. 25; unknown locality. |
Author |
Bray, D.J. 2017 |
Resources |
Sliteye Shark, Loxodon macrorhinus Müller & Henle 1839
References
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Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Rome : FAO Vol. 4(2) 251-655 pp.
Compagno, L.J.V., Dando, M. & Fowler, S. 2005. A Field Guide to the Sharks of the World. London : Collins 368 pp.
Compagno, L.J.V. & Niem, V.H. 1998. Family Carcharhinidae. pp. 1312-1360 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 2 687-1396 pp.
Grant, E.M. 1975. Guide to Fishes. Brisbane : Queensland Government, Co-ordinator General’s Department 640 pp.
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Johnson, J.W. 2010. Fishes of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and adjacent continental shelf waters, Queensland, Australia. pp. 299-353 in Davie, P.J.F. & Phillips, J.A. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop, The Marine Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 54(3)
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls.
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp.
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Müller, J. & Henle, F.G.J. 1839. Systematische Beschreibung der Plagiostomen. Berlin : Veit & Co pp. 29-102 pls.
Ogilby, J.D. 1908. Descriptions of new Queensland fishes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 21: 87-98
Ogilby, J.D. 1912. On some Queensland fishes. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 1: 26-65 2 figs pls 13-14
Ogilby, J.D. 1916. Checklist of the cephalochordates, selachians, and fishes of Queensland. 1. Cephalochordata, Selachii, Isospondyli (part). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 5: 70-98 fig. 1
Sih, T.L., Cappo, M. & Kingsford, M.J. (2017) Deep-reef fish assemblages of the Great Barrier Reef shelf-break (Australia). Science Reports 7: 10886 DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-11452-1 PDF available, Open access
Simpfendorfer, C.A. & Stevens, J. (SSG Australia & Oceania Regional Workshop, March 2003) 2003. Loxodon macrorhinus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. . Downloaded on 07 February 2012.
Springer, V.G. 1964. A revision of the carcharhinid genera Scoliodon, Loxodon and Rhizoprionodon. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 115(3493): 559-632 figs 1-14 pls 1-2
Whitley, G.P. 1934. Notes on some Australian sharks. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 10(4): 180–200 figs 1–4 pls 27–29
Whitley, G.P. 1940. The Fishes of Australia. Part 1. The sharks, rays, devil-fish, and other primitive fishes of Australia and New Zealand. Sydney : Roy. Zool. Soc. N.S.W. 280 pp. 303 figs.