|
: ''Not to be confused with the blacktip shark, ''Carcharhinus limbatus. The blacktip reef shark (''Carcharhinus melanopterus'') is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, easily identified by the prominent black tips on its fins (especially on the first dorsal fin and its caudal fin). Among the most abundant sharks inhabiting the tropical coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, this species prefers shallow, inshore waters. Its exposed first dorsal fin is a common sight in the region. Most blacktip reef sharks are found over reef ledges and sandy flats, though they have also been known to enter brackish and freshwater environments. This species typically attains a length of . Blacktip reef sharks have extremely small home ranges and exhibit strong site fidelity, remaining within the same local area for up to several years at a time. They are active predators of small bony fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans, and have also been known to feed on sea snakes and seabirds. Accounts of the blacktip reef shark's life history have been variable and sometimes contradictory, in part reflecting geographical differences within the species. Like other members of its family, this shark is viviparous, with females giving birth to two to five young on a biennial, annual, or possibly biannual cycle. Reports of the gestation period range from 7–9, through 10–11, to possibly 16 months. Mating is preceded by the male following closely behind the female, likely attracted by her chemical signals. Newborn sharks are found further inshore and in shallower water than adults, frequently roaming in large groups over areas flooded by high tide. Timid and skittish, the blacktip reef shark is difficult to approach and seldom poses a danger to humans unless roused by food. However, people wading through shallow water are at risk of having their legs mistakenly bitten. This shark is used for its meat, fins, and liver oil, but is not considered to be a commercially significant species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the blacktip reef shark as Near Threatened. Although the species as a whole remains widespread and relatively common, overfishing of this slow-reproducing shark has led to its decline at a number of locales. ==Taxonomy== French naturalists Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard originally described the blacktip reef shark during the 1817–1820 exploratory voyage of the corvette ''Uranie''. In 1824, their account was published as part of ''Voyage autour du monde...sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne'', Louis de Freycinet's 13-volume report on the voyage. The type specimen was a -long juvenile male caught off the island of Waigeo, west of New Guinea.〔 Quoy and Gaimard chose the name ''Carcharias melanopterus'', from the Greek ''melas'' meaning "black" and ''pteron'' meaning "fin" or "wing", in reference to this shark's prominent fin markings. Subsequent authors moved the blacktip reef shark to the genus ''Carcharhinus''; in 1965 the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature designated it as the type species for the genus. In some earlier literature, the scientific name of this shark was mistakenly given as ''C. spallanzani'', now recognized as a synonym of the spottail shark (''C. sorrah'').〔 Other common names for this species include blackfin reef shark, black-finned shark, blacktip shark, reef blacktip shark, and guliman. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Blacktip reef shark」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|