Author: (Bibron, 1841)

Carcharhinus falciformis (Bibron, 1841)

Diagnosis: snout narrowly rounded, moderately long. Upper teeth triangular, serrate, anterior teeth with heavy notches present on cusp near base; lower teeth with narrow cusp, serrate on tip. First dorsal fin relatively low, rounded, its origin behind free tip of pectoral fins; pectoral fins long and falcate; some with dusky tips on undersides; inter-dorsal ridge present; second dorsal fin low, its free tip greater than twice the fin height. Colour: grey to bronze or grey-blue above, white below; tips of pectorals and pelvics sometimes dusky below. Size: to 350 cm TL, common to 250 cm TL.

Habitat: open pelagic waters outside continental shelf, juveniles sometimes entering coastal waters where shelf is narrow; occurs usually near surface, but found at depths of 500 m. Food: primarily fish and squid. Reproduction: viviparous, 2-14 young. Gestation period unknown, 1 possibly 12 or 16 months; pups born at 75-90 cm TL, apparently in pelagic waters.
Distribution: reported from coast of Spain. Elsewhere, more common to south of area; occurs generally in all warm seas.

Complementary iconography. Bigelow & Schroeder, 1948, fig. 56-57 | Poll, 1951, fig. 21-22 | Garrick et al., 1964, fig. 5.
Eggs, larvae and young stages. Bigelow & Schroeder, 1948: 332.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Superclass Gnathostomata
Class Chondrichthyes
Superorder Pleurotremata
Family Carcharhinidae
Genus Carcharhinus
Species Carcharhinus falciformis

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Carcharhinus falciformis (Müller & Henle, 1839)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Carcharhinus falciformis (Bibron, 1841)

Synonyms:

Carcharias (Prionodon) falciformis Bibron, 1841, in Müller & Henle, Syst. Beschr. Plagiost.: 47 (Cuba). Holotype: MNHN no. 1134.
Squalus falcipinnis Lowe, 1839, in part, Proc. zool. Soc. Lond., 7: 90 (Madeira). Type: unknown.l
Carcharhinus floridanus Bigelow, Schroeder & Springer, 1943, Proc. New Engl. zool. Club, 22: 71, pl. 13 (Florida). Holotype: MCZ no. 35807.

Common names:

Silky shark [En]
Requin soyeux [Fr]
Tiburon jaqueton [Es]

Bigelow, H. B.; Schroeder, W. C. 1948b. Sharks. In: Fishes of the western north Atlantic. Mem. Sears Found. Mar. Res., New Haven, 1(1): 59-576, fig. 6-106.

Bigelow, H. B.; Schroeder, W. C.; Springer, S. 1943. A new species of Carcharinus from the Western Atlantic. Proc. New Engl. zool. Club, 22: 69-74, pl. 13-14.

Garrick, J. A. F.; Backus, R. H.; Gibbs, R. H. Jr. 1964. Carcharhinus floridanus, the Silky Shark, a Synonym of C. falciformis. Copeia, 1964 (2): 369-375, fig. 5.

Lowe, R. T.1839. A supplement to a synopsis of the Fishes of Madeira. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 7: 76-92 (also publ. in Trans. zool. Soc. Lond., 1842, 3 (1) :1-20).

Müller, J.; Henle, J.1841. Systematische Beschreibung der Plagiostomen. Berlin, xxii+204 p., 60 pl.

Poll, M.1951. Poissons. I. Généralités. II. Sélaciens et Chiméres. Rés. Sci. Expéd. océanogr. belg. Eaux côt. afr. Atlant. Sud (1948-49J, 4 (1) :1-154, 66 fig., 13 pl.

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