Australia country information

Common names: Nervous shark, Sharks Bay whaler shark
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: minor commercial | Ref: Compagno, L.J.V. and V.H. Niem, 1998
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Known from Shark Bay, Western Australia to Solitary Is., N.S.W. including N.T. and Gulf of Carpentaria (Ref. 7300). Taken in small numbers for human consumption (Ref. 9997). Also Ref. 244.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.csiro.au/
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Hoese, D.F., D.J. Bray, J.R. Paxton and G.R. Allen, 2006
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Requin nerveux, Tiburón nervioso, 澳大利亚真鲨, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) > Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Etymology: Carcharhinus: karcharos (Gr.), sharp or jagged; rhinus, an ancient name for sharks, from rhine (Gr.), rasp, both words alluding to a shark's jagged, rasp-like skin. (See ETYFish); cautus: Latin for nervous or wary, the “Nervous Shark” mentioned in Whitley (1940), referring to how the “slightest splashing” in shallow water caused this shark to “dash away at great speed into deep water”. (See ETYFish).
More on author: Whitley.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 20 m (Ref. 106604). Tropical; 5°S - 30°S

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

Western Pacific: southern New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and northern Australia (including Western Australia, Ref. 7300).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 91.0, range 85 - ? cm
Max length : 150 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 244); 150.0 cm TL (female)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Grey or light brown above, white below; dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins with black margins, expanded apically to black tips on caudal fin lobes and pectoral fins; probably a conspicuous white band on flank (Ref. 9997).

A little-known reef shark found in shallow water on the continental and insular shelves, but may range in deeper water (Ref. 244). Feeds on small fishes and crabs (Ref. 244). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Rather skittish and timid when approached (Ref. 244). Probably harmless or minimally hazardous to people (Ref. 244). Utilized for human consumption (Ref. 9997).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Viviparous, placental (Ref. 50449). Size at birth between 35 and 39 cm (Ref. 244). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).

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. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 03 June 2019

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Appendix II: International trade monitored

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless (Ref. 244)

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

FAO(Publication : search) | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
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Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 24.3 - 28.6, mean 27.5 (based on 348 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00331 (0.00182 - 0.00604), b=3.10 (2.95 - 3.25), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.3 ±0.3 se; based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec = 1).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Carcharhinus cautus (Whitley, 1945)