Carcharhinus Blainville, 1816

Ebert, David A., White, William T., Ho, Hsuan-Ching, Last, Peter R., Nakaya, Kazuhiro, Séret, Bernard, Straube, Nicolas, Naylor, Gavin J. P. & De Carvalho, Marcelo R., 2013, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of Taiwan, Zootaxa 3752 (1), pp. 279-386 : 329-335

Genus Carcharhinus Blainville, 1816

Whaler Sharks / ẚḛé

Carcharhinus (subgenus of Squalus ) Blainville, 1816: 121. Type species: Carcharias melanopterus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 , by subsequent designation of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.

Carcharhinus albimarginatus ( Rüppell, 1837)

Silvertip Shark / Ʀảḁẚḛ

Carcharias albimarginatus Rüppell, 1837: 164 , pl. 18 (fig. 1). Lectotype: SMF 3582 (dry and mounted), juvenile male 1025 mm, Ras Muhammad, Sinai, Egypt, Red Sea; lectotype designated by Rosenblatt & Baldwin (1958).

Local synonymy: Carcharinus albimarginatus: Nakamura, 1936: 27 , pl. 22, fig. 1; Matsubara, 1936b: 82, fig. 62; Chen, 1948: 37; Chen, 1956: 20; Carcharhinus albimarginatus: Teng, 1962: 139 ; Chen, 1963: 68; Shen, 1984a: 61, fig.; Chen et al., 1985: 10, fig. 1; Chen & Yu, 1986: 137; Chen & Joung, 1993: 61, pl. 7 (fig. 1); Shen & Wu, 2011: 68, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: No specimens examined in this study. Chen et al. (1985) examined the following specimens: NMF 0146, male 1875 mm TL; NMF 0229, female 1589 mm TL; there is no information on their current status.

Remarks: Not commonly landed in Taiwanese waters.

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus altimus ( Springer, 1950)

Bignose Shark / ǺỖẚḛ

Eulamia altima Springer, 1950: 9 . Holotype: USNM 133828 , juvenile male “ 52 inches ” (~ 1321 mm), off Cosgrove Reef , Key West, Florida, USA.

Local synonymy: Carcharhinus altimus: Chen et al., 1985: 10 , fig. 2 (NMF 392, female 1240 mm TL); Chen & Joung, 1993: 61, pl. 7 (fig. 2); Shao et al., 2008: 236; Shen & Wu, 2011: 68, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: No specimens examined in this study. Remarks: Does not appear to be commonly landed in Taiwanese waters; often confused with C. plumbeus but differs in having a lower first dorsal fin (its height <½ vs. about ½ of predorsal length), upper anterolateral teeth very high (usually 15 vs. 14 rows), slightly longer snout, and anterior nasal flaps high and triangular (vs. low and inconspicuous).

Conservation status: Data Deficient.

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos ( Bleeker, 1856)

Grey Reef Shark / fiḓẚḛ

Carcharias (Prionodon) amblyrhynchos Bleeker, 1856: 467 . Holotype: RMNH 7377 (head and skin), female 1540 mm TL, near Solombo Island , Java Sea, Indonesia.

Local synonymy: Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos: Chen & Joung, 1993: 62 , pl. 7 (fig. 3); Shen & Wu, 2011: 69, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: No specimens examined in this study.

Remarks: Appears to be rare in Taiwanese waters, either naturally or due to extirpation.

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus brachyurus ( Günther, 1870)

Bronze Whaler / ÙṚẚḛ

Carcharias brachyurus Günther, 1870: 369 . Neotype: NMNZ P. 2262, female 2420 mm TL, off Wanganui, New Zealand; neotype designation by Garrick (1982); original type material in BMNH are apparently lost, and two Australian embryos referred to by Günther (1870) are actually C. leucas (see Garrick, 1982).

Local synonymy: Chen & Yu, 1986: 138.

Taiwan voucher materia l: No specimens examined in this study.

Remarks: Possibly only extralimital records from Taiwanese waters. Previous records of this species are misidentifications of C. falciformis ( Chen et al., 1985) ; Naylor et al. (2012) included a sample of C. brachyurus from Taiwan sampled at Su-Ao longliner landing by GN 1994, but exact capture locality not recorded.

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus brevipinna ( Müller & Henle, 1839)

Spinner Shark / ãǿẚḛ

Carcharias brevipinna Müller & Henle, 1839: 31 , pl. 9. Holotype: RMNH D2525 (mounted skin), 785 mm TL, Java, Indonesia.

Local synonymy: Carcharhinus brevipinna: Chen et al., 1985: 11 , fig. 3 (5 spec., 1442-2560 mm TL); Chen & Joung, 1993: 62, pl. 7 (fig. 5); Joung et al., 2005: 102; Shen & Wu, 2011: 69, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: No specimens examined in this study. Remarks: Abundant off northeastern Taiwan and an important component of the commercial shark fishery in this area; about 115 tons landed annually at the Nan-fang-ao fish market ( Joung et al., 2005); mostly caught between October and April when waters are cooler ( Liu et al., 2001).

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus falciformis ( Müller & Henle, 1839)

Silky Shark / ẢÄẚḛ

Carcharias (Prionodon) falciformis Müller & Henle, 1839: 47 . Holotype: MNHN 0000-1134, female embryo 528 mm TL, Cuba, Western Atlantic.

Local synonymy: Carcharinus brachyurus: Nakamura, 1936: 23 , pl. 8, fig. 2; Matsubara, 1936b: 78, fig. 58; Chen, 1948: 37; Chen, 1956: 20. Carcharhinus brachyurus: Teng, 1962: 132 ; Chen, 1963: 61; Chen & Joung, 1993: 62, pl. 7 (fig. 4); Shen & Wu, 2011: 69, fig. Carcharhinus faciformis: Chen & Yu, 1986: 138 . Carcharhinus falciformis: Chen et al., 1985: 11 , fig. 5 (10 spec., 350-2420 mm TL); Chen & Joung, 1993: 63, pl. 7 (fig. 7); Chen, 2004: 21; Joung et al., 2008; Shen & Wu, 2011: 69, 70, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: No specimens examined in this study.

Remarks: Abundant off northeastern Taiwan and are an important component of the shark fishery in this region; about 241 tons landed annually at the Nan-fang-ao fish market ( Joung et al., 2008); mostly caught during winter and spring when waters are cooler ( Liu et al., 2001); annual landings in Nan-fang-ao declined after 1990 and average weight of individuals has also decreased substantially ( Joung et al., 2008).

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus leucas ( Müller & Henle, 1839)

Bull Shark / Ăḁẚḛ

Carcharias (Prionodon) leucas Müller & Henle, 1839: 42 . Syntypes (4): only 2 stuffed syntypes still in existence; MNHN A-9650, adult male 1600 mm, MNHN A-9652, female 1869 mm, Antilles , Western Atlantic .

Local synonymy: Carcharhinus leucas: Chen & Yu, 1986:138 ; Chen & Joung, 1993: 63, pl. 7 (fig. 8); Shen & Wu, 2011: 70, figs.

Taiwan voucher material: No specimens examined in this study.

Remarks: Appears to be rarely encountered in Taiwanese waters. A recent molecular study suggests this species may represent a species complex, which is in need of urgent taxonomic research ( Naylor et al., 2012).

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus limbatus ( Müller & Henle, 1839)

Common Blacktip Shark / Ḅảḁẚḛ

Carcharias (Prionodon) limbatus Müller & Henle, 1839: 49 , pl. 19 (teeth). Syntypes (2): only 1 syntype still in existence; MNHN 0000-3468 (mounted skin), Martinique, Lesser Antilles , Western Atlantic.

Local synonymy: Carcharinus melanopterus: Matsubara, 1936b: 81 , fig. 61; Chen, 1948: 37; Chen, 1956: 20. Carcharhinus melanopterus: Chen, 1963: 64 , fig. 18 (THUP 1469); Shen, 1984a: 61, fig.; Chen & Joung, 1993: 64, pl. 8 (fig. 2); Shao et al., 1993: 119; Shen & Wu, 2011: 71, fig. Eulamia pleurotaenia: Chu, 1957: 14 . Carcharhinus limbatus: Chen et al., 1985: 12 , fig. 6 (2 spec., 1900-2290 mm TL); Chen & Yu, 1986: 138; Chen & Joung, 1993: 63, pl. 7 (fig. 9); Chen et al., 1995: 20; Chen, 2004: 21; Shao et al., 2008: 236; Shen & Wu, 2011: 70, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: (3 spec.) NMMB-P 6412 , female, Taichong , 28 Feb 1965 ; NMMB-P 6436 , female, Taichong , 6 May 1962 ; NMMB-P 6454 , female, Penghu, 8 Sep 1961 .

Remarks: Little information on the abundance of this species in Taiwan; appears to be rare. Previously reported as C. melanopterus in Taiwanese waters. A recent molecular study suggests that the Indo-Pacific populations of C. limbatus probably represent a distinct species to the Atlantic species ( Naylor et al., 2012); taxonomic investigation of this complex is required to determine whether C. pleurotaenia ( Bleeker, 1852) should be resurrected for the Indo-Pacific species.

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus longimanus (Poey, 1861)

Oceanic Whitetip Shark / Ħḁẚḛ

Squalus longimanus Poey, 1861: 338 , pl. 19 (figs 9 and 10). Holotype: male 1640 mm, no type known, Cuba, Western Atlantic.

Local synonymy: Carcharhinus melanopterus: Nakamura, 1936: 25 , pl. 10, figs. 1 and 2. Carcarinus lamia: Chen, 1948: 37 ; Carcharhinus longimanus: Teng, 1958: 22 , fig. 14; Teng, 1962: 134, fig. 35; Chen, 1963: 69; Shen, 1984a: 61, fig.; Chen et al., 1985: 12, fig. 7 (4 spec., 270-1540 mm TL); Chen & Yu, 1986:137; Chen & Joung, 1993: 64, pl. 7 (fig. 10); Chen et al., 1995: 20; Shao et al., 2008: 236; Shen & Wu, 2011: 70, fig. Pterolamiops longimanus: Yang, 1981: 3 , fig. 2.

Taiwan voucher material: (2 spec.) NMMB-P 4516 , male, Kaohsiung, 1 Apr 1963; NMMB-P 15727 .

Remarks: Common in landings at the Nan-fang-ao fish market, with an average of 27.5 tons landed annually from 1989–1994 ( Chen et al., 2002); mainly caught from June to August off northeastern Taiwan at depths of 40–120 m ( Chen et al., 2002).

Conservation status: Vulnerable.

Carcharhinus macloti ( Müller & Henle, 1839)

Hardnose Shark / Ȑkẚḛ

Carcharias (Hypoprion) macloti Müller & Henle, 1839: 34 , pl. 10. Holotype: RMNH (dry skin), adult male, New Guinea.

Local synonymy: Hypoprion macloti: Nakamura, 1936: 21 , pl. 8, fig. 1; Chen, 1948: 38; Chen, 1956: 19; Teng, 1962: 13; Chen, 1963: 59, fig. 16 (THUP 0532); Shen, 1984a: 60, fig.; Chen & Yu, 1986: 137; Shao et al., 1993: 119. Carcharhinus macloti: Chen et al., 1985: 13 , fig. 8 (NMF 406, 970 mm TL); Chen & Joung, 1993: 64, pl. 8 (fig. 1); Shen & Wu, 2011: 71, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: (3 spec.) NMMB-P 6445 , Taichong, 6 May 1962 ; NMMB-P 6493 , female, Taichong, 4 Jan 1962 ; UF 159313, juvenile male 542 mm TL, Da-xi, 24 May 2005 .

Remarks: Relatively commonly landed in coastal Taiwanese waters.

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus melanopterus ( Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)

Common Blacktip Shark / Ốªẚḛ

Carcharias melanopterus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824: 194 , pl. 43 (figs 1 and 2). Lectotype: MNHN 0000-1129, juvenile male 590 mm TL, Pulau Waigeo, West Papua, Indonesia; lectotype designation by Eschmeyer (1998).

Local synonymy: Carcharhinus melanopterus: Teng, 1962: 137 ; Chen et al., 1985: 13, fig. 9 (2 spec., 902-1147 mm TL); Chen & Yu, 1986: 137.

Taiwan voucher material: (1 specimen) NMMB-P 15731 .

Remarks: Apparently rare in Taiwanese waters; early records of this species are mostly referrable to C. limbatus .

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus obscurus ( Lesueur, 1818)

Dusky Shark / Dzfflẚḛ

Squalus obscurus Lesueur, 1818: 223 , pl. 9. No types known; east coast of USA.

Local synonymy: Carcharhinus obscurus: Chen et al., 1985: 14 , fig. 10 (8 spec., 830-2250 mm TL); Chen & Yu, 1986: 138; Chen & Joung, 1993: 64, pl. 8 (fig. 3); Shen & Wu, 2011: 71, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: (1 specimen) NMMB-P 6421 , male, Dong-gang , Pingtung, 6 Feb 1966 .

Remarks: Chen et al. (1985) examined the following specimens: NMF 0106, male 2110 mm TL; NMF 0149, male 1695 mm TL; NMF 0422, male 3220 mm TL; NMF 0411, female 2140 mm TL; NMF 0025, female 2205 mm TL; NMF 0231, female 2195 mm TL; NMF 0136, female 830 mm TL; NMF 0126, female 1010 mm TL; there is no information on their current status. Abundant in landings at the Nan-fang-ao fish market, with an average of 242.5 tons landed annually from 1989–1994; main fishing season is October to April ( Chen et al., 2002).

Conservation status: Vulnerable.

Carcharhinus plumbeus ( Nardo, 1827)

Sandbar Shark / üDzẚḛ

Squalus plumbeus Nardo, 1827: 26 , 35 (no. 24). No types known; Adriatic Sea.

Local synonymy: Carcharhinus sp. ( gangeticus ?): Nakamura, 1936: 28, pl. 10, pl. 11, fig. 2. Carcharhinus gangeticus: Teng, 1962: 138 . Carcharhinus plumbeus: Chen et al., 1985: 14 , fig. 11 (6 spec., 180-1880 mm TL); Chen & Yu, 1986: 137 Chen & Joung, 1993: 65, pl. 8 (fig. 4); Shao et al., 1993: 119; Joung & Chen, 1995: 659; Joung et al., 2004: 83; Shen & Wu, 2011: 71, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: No specimens examined in this study.

Remarks: One of the most abundant species in the commercial shark fishery off northeastern Taiwan; over 170 tons landed annually and the second most abundant shark species ( Joung et al., 2004). Mostly caught between November and March when waters are cooler. Catches declined in recent years and average sizes have also decreased substantially ( Joung et al., 2004). Chen et al. (1985) considered the records of C. gangeticus by Teng (1962) and C. sp. ( gangeticus ?) by Nakamura (1936) as C. plumbeus . A recent molecular study suggests that the Indo-Pacific populations of C. plumbeus probably represent a distinct species to the Western Atlantic species ( Naylor et al., 2012). Taiwanese C. plumbeus often have a pale, less pigmented trailing edge to their pectoral and first dorsal fins relative to the Western Atlantic forms ( GN, pers. obs.). Taxonomic investigation of this complex is required to determine whether C. japonicus (Temminck & Schegel, 1850) should be resurrected for the Indo- Pacific species.

Conservation status: Vulnerable.

Carcharhinus sorrah ( Müller & Henle, 1839)

Spot-tail Shark / ẇúẚḛ

Carcharias (Prionodon) sorrah Müller & Henle, 1839: 45 , pl. 16. Lectotype: RMNH 4294 , female 570 mm, Java, Indonesia.

Local synonymy: Carcharinus sorrah: Nakamura, 1936: 24 , pl. 9, fig. 1; Chen, 1948: 37; Chen, 1956: 20; Liang, 1951: 3. Carcharhinus sorrah: Teng, 1962: 133 ; Chen, 1963: 62. Fig. 17 (THUP 1770); Chen et al., 1985: 15, fig. 12 (4 spec., 680-1370 mm TL); Chen & Yu, 1986: 137; Chen & Joung, 1993: 65, pl. 8 (fig. 5); Shao et al., 1993: 119; Chen, 2004: 22; Shen & Wu, 2011: 71, 72, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: (5 spec.) FRIP 00706 (1 of 3) , 1951; FRIP 03643 ; NMMB-P 15122 , Kaohsiung, 4 Aug 1965; NMMB-P 6415 , Dong-gang , Pingtung, 1 Aug 1963; NMMB-P 12656 .

Remarks: Commonly caught by coastal fisheries in Taiwan.

Conservation status: Near Threatened.

Carcharhinus tjutjot ( Bleeker, 1852)

Spot-tail Shark / Ψάẚḛ

Carcharias (Prionodon) tjutjot Bleeker, 1852: 36 , pl. 1 (fig. 4). Lectotype: RMNH 7382 , adolescent male 585 mm, Jakarta (Batavia), Java, Indonesia.

Local synonymy: Carcharinus menisorrah: Nakamura, 1936: 26 , pl. 12, fig. 1; Matsubara, 1936b: 80, fig. 60; Chen, 1948: 37; Chen, 1956: 20. Carcharhinus menisorrah: Teng, 1962: 138 ; Chen, 1963: fig. 19 (THUP 1472). Carcharhinus tjutjot: White, 2012: 1 , figs 1–3. Carcharhinus dussumieri: Teshima & Mizue, 1973: 229 (information from H.-C. Yang); Chen et al., 1985: 11, fig. 4 (2 spec., 784-1140 mm TL); Chen & Yu, 1986: 137; Chen & Joung, 1993: 63, pl. 7 (fig. 6); Shao et al., 1993: 119; Chen, 2004: 21; Shao et al., 2008: 236; Shen & Wu, 2011: 69, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: (8 spec.) FRIP 02062 ; NMMB-P 6422 , Keelung, 1 Nov 1959 ; NMMB-P 6423 , Taichong , 21 Apr 1962 ; NMMB-P 6425 , Kaohsiung, 4 Aug 1965 ; NMMB-P 6458 , Keelung, 18 Dec 1960 ; CAS 228336 , juvenile male 498 mm TL, Da-xi, 24 May 2005 ; NMMB-P 15747 (tissue accession GN10187 ) , NMMB-P 15767 (tissue accession GN10188 ), 24 Apr 2011 .

Remarks: Commonly caught by coastal fisheries in Taiwanese waters; Teshima & Mizue (1973) stated that according to H.-C. Yang from TRFI, this species is landed year round at Keelung and Kaohsiung. Previously referred to as C. dussumieri but a recent taxonomic study revealed that C. dussumieri is restricted to the Western Indian Ocean and resurrected C. tjutjot (pronounced ‘choo-choot') for the Western Pacific species, from Indonesia to Taiwan ( White, 2012). Historically referred to as C. menisorrah but this species is actually a junior synonym of C. falciformis .

Conservation status: Not Evaluated.