Carcharhinus fitzroyensis
| Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Family |
| ANIMALIA |
CHORDATA |
CHONDRICHTHYES |
CARCHARHINIFORMES |
CARCHARHINIDAE |
| Scientific Name: |
Carcharhinus fitzroyensis |
| Species Authority: |
(Whitley, 1943) |
|
Common Name/s:
|
Assessment Information
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| Red List Category & Criteria: |
Least Concern
ver 3.1
|
| Year Assessed: |
2003 |
| Assessor/s |
Bennett, M.B. & Kyne, P.M. (SSG Australia & Oceania Regional Workshop, March 2003) |
| Evaluator/s: |
Fowler, S. & Cavanagh, R.D. (Shark Red List Authority) |
Justification:
This species is endemic to northern Australia with a broad distribution across tropical seas from the intertidal zone to at least 40 m. The creek whaler is relatively productive for a viviparous shark species and can tolerate the current and projected level of pressure in the northern Australian fisheries.
|
Geographic Range
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| Range Description: |
Carcharhinus fitzroyensis occurs in tropical seas across the north of Australia and in the Gulf of Carpentaria. It ranges from the intertidal zone to a depth of at least 40 m (Last and Stevens 1994).
|
| Countries: |
Native:
Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia)
|
| FAO Marine Fishing Areas: |
Native:
Indian Ocean – eastern; Pacific – western central
|
Population
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| Population: |
There are no data on the population sizes or important sites for this species.
|
| Population Trend: |
Stable
|
Habitat and Ecology
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| Habitat and Ecology: |
This species attains a maximum length of about 135 cm total length (TL) (Lyle 1987), with no sexual dimorphism apparent. There is no information about age at maturity for either sex, but males mature at about 83 to 88 cm TL and females at about 90 to 100 cm TL (Lyle 1987). There is an annual reproductive cycle. Litter size ranges from 1–7 with pups born at about 45 to 55 cm TL (Simpfendorfer and Milward 1993, Last and Stevens 1994). Mating apparently takes place between May and July (Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory) with birth occurring the following year after a gestation period of 7 to 9 months (Lyle 1987). Simpfendorfer and Milward (1993) report juvenile sharks occupying a nursery area (Cleveland Bay, Queensland) primarily during February, which is consistent with the observations from further north. Carcharhinus fitzroyensis feeds almost exclusively on teleost fishes and crustaceans, with cephalopods representing a small component of the diet (Lyle 1987, Simpfendorfer and Milward 1993).
|
| Systems: |
Marine |
| Major Threat(s): |
Small numbers of this species are caught in northern inshore gill-net fisheries. Juveniles that use embayments as nursery areas are at potential risk of gill-netting, which could depress populations locally. However, the species is relatively fecund and populations should prove resilient.
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Conservation Actions
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| Conservation Actions: |
No conservation measures required at present.
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