Hemitriakis leucoperiptera
| Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Family |
| ANIMALIA |
CHORDATA |
CHONDRICHTHYES |
CARCHARHINIFORMES |
TRIAKIDAE |
| Scientific Name: |
Hemitriakis leucoperiptera |
| Species Authority: |
Herre, 1923 |
Common Name/s:
| English |
– |
Whitefin Topeshark, Whitefin Topeshark |
|
Assessment Information
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| Red List Category & Criteria: |
Endangered
B1ab(iii,v);C2a(ii)
ver 3.1
|
| Year Assessed: |
2005 |
| Assessor/s: |
Compagno, L.J.V. |
| Reviewer/s: |
Musick, J.A. & Fowler, S.L. (Shark Red List Authority) |
Justification:
This assessment is based on the information published n the 2005 shark status survey (Fowler et al. 2005).
The Whitefin Topeshark (Hemitriakis leucoperiptera) is a little-known inshore tropical shark found only in heavily fished and environmentally degraded Philippine coastal waters. Only two free-living specimens are known from an extremely restricted range. There are no confirmed records over the last 50 or more years, although a small number of Hemitriakis specimens have recently been collected under the auspices of the WWF Philippines chondrichthyan biodiversity programme. Their taxonomic status is currently being investigated.
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| History: |
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Geographic Range
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| Range Description: |
This species occurs ion the Northwest Pacific: Philippine Islands (Dumaguete, Negros, also Bagac Bay, Bataan Prov., Luzon). It is found inshore down to 48 m.
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| Countries: |
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| FAO Marine Fishing Areas: |
Native:
Pacific – western central
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| Range Map: |
Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
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Population
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| Population Trend: |
Unknown
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Habitat and Ecology
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| Habitat and Ecology: |
Most details of ecology and life history parameters are unknown, for this species is only known from two free-swimming individuals reported. The only gravid female reported was 96 cm total length (TL) and had 12 foetuses. Size at birth at least 20?22 cm (term foetuses).
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| Systems: |
Marine |
| Major Threat(s): |
The species is probably taken as utilized bycatch by local fisheries in the Philippines. The holotype was taken in a fish trap. No statistics are available for fisheries catches ? there have been no confirmed records of this species for over 50 years. However, past and continuing population reduction is probable, due to the heavy inshore fishing occurring throughout its limited area of distribution. It may also be suffering from habitat loss and deterioration, for dynamite and cyanide fishing have affected much of the reef habitat in its area. A further complication is that there are apparently two Philippine Hemitriakis that have been confused under this species, but they differ in vertebral counts, colouration and possibly morphometrics (Compagno 1970, 1984b, 1988, in prep. b).
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Conservation Actions
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| Conservation Actions: |
None.
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