Carcharhinus fitzroyensis (Whitley, 1943)

Creek Whaler

Galeolamna (Uranganops) fitzroyensis Whitley, 1943: 117, Fig. 2. Holotype: AMS IB . 1229 (skin and teeth). Type locality: Fitzroy River estuary, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia .

Local synonymy: White et al., 2018: 144, figs (PNG).

PNG voucher material: (3 spec.) CSIRO H 8023-01, juvenile male 760 mm TL, east of Fly River mouth, Gulf of Papua, 8°17’40” S, 144°15’49” E, 17–24 m depth, 2 Apr. 2015; KFRS E.623, juvenile male 660 mm TL, south of Kerema, Gulf of Papua, 8°3’2” S, 145°43’10” E, 13–16 m depth, 1 Sep. 2015; KFRS E.776 (dried jaws), no label on jaw but likely a previously registered specimen, new registration number allocated April 2017.

Remarks: Previously thought to be an Australian endemic species. Caught in low numbers by coastal and prawn trawl fisheries in the Western Province and Gulf of Papua; probably restricted to these areas.