Whitecheek shark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whitecheek shark |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Carcharhinus
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| Species: |
dussumieri
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| Range of whitecheek shark | |
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The whitecheek shark (Carcharhinus dussumieri) is a type of requiem shark. These sharks belong to the Carcharhinidae family. You can find them in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. They live in warm waters, from 34°N to 25°S.
This shark can grow up to 1 meter (about 3 feet) long. It mainly eats fish, squid, and crabs. Whitecheek sharks are viviparous. This means the mother gives birth to live young, not eggs. A female shark can have up to four babies at a time.
The shark's scientific name, dussumieri, honors a French explorer. His name was Jean-Jacques Dussumier. He lived from 1792 to 1883.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The whitecheek shark can grow to about 100 centimeters (40 inches) long. It has a thin body and a long head. Its snout, or nose, is rounded. The shark's eyes are oval shaped. Both its upper and lower jaws have many rows of teeth. These teeth point backward and have small saw-like edges.
The shark's pectoral fins are long and narrow. They are curved with pointed tips. The first dorsal fin is triangle-shaped and not curved. It is a medium size. The second dorsal fin is much smaller. It has a large black spot at its top. The shark's back is grey or brownish-grey. Its belly is pale, or light in color.
Where Do Whitecheek Sharks Live?
The whitecheek shark lives in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. It prefers areas near continents and islands. You can find them on continental shelves. These are the shallow parts of the ocean floor near land. They also live on slopes around islands. They can be found down to about 170 meters (560 feet) deep.
Their home area stretches from the Arabian Sea to Japan. This includes the Persian Gulf, Indonesia, and Australia.
What Do Whitecheek Sharks Eat?
Whitecheek sharks mostly eat fish. But they also like to eat octopus and squid. They also munch on different crustaceans, like crabs. Sometimes, they even pick up molluscs and worms from the ocean floor.
This shark is common, but people don't know much about it. It is sometimes confused with the blackspot shark.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Both male and female whitecheek sharks become adults when they are about 70 centimeters (28 inches) long. Females are viviparous. This means they give birth to live young. They do not lay eggs. Breeding happens all year long. Females are usually pregnant or have just given birth.
They keep one to four pups inside their body. Most often, they have two pups. The pups get food from a yolk sac while inside the mother. When they are born, they are about 38 centimeters (15 inches) long.
Is the Whitecheek Shark in Danger?
The IUCN is a group that checks on animals. They say the whitecheek shark is "near threatened." This means it could become endangered soon. These sharks are often caught by accident. They get caught in fishing nets or on fishing lines. This happens in shallow waters.
Their numbers seem to be going down. They are even disappearing from some parts of their home area. Fishermen usually catch them by accident. They are not the main fish they are trying to catch. In Australia, they make up a small part of the total fish caught. Whitecheek sharks are not dangerous to humans. People eat their meat.
