Carcharhinus hemiodon (Valenciennes, 1839)
Pondicherry shark
photo by Devarapalli, P.

Family:  Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Max. size:  200 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 10 - 150 m, amphidromous
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Gulf of Oman to Pakistan, India, and possibly Sri Lanka. Scattered localities from the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific ranging from India to New Guinea.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0. Grey above, white below, with the tips of the pectorals, and upper and lower caudal-fin lobes black; other fins dusky (Ref. 9997).
Biology:  A little-known shark found on the continental and insular shelves (Ref. 244). Reports from river mouths and rivers are based on old records that need verification (Ref. 9997). Probably feeds on small fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans (Ref. 9997). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Utilized fresh for human consumption (Ref. 9997).
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 28 September 2020 (C2a(i)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Recent records from photos taken of a female shark collected from Pasil Fish Port I, Cebu City may be this species. Information on its teeth and dorsal profile are needed to confirm its identification (Ref. 47737). Recorded from Manila Bay (Ref. 47939, 1600); Malampaya Sound, Palawan (Ref. 280). Also Ref. 386, 9997, 26842. Occurrence: Manila Bay; Malampaya Sound, Palawan; Pasil Fish Port I, Cebu City; Sulu-Celebes Sea.


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