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Galeorhinus galeus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Tope shark
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Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
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Galeorhinus galeus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Galeorhinus galeus
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New Zealand country information

Common names: Flake, Greyboy, Greyshark
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: common (usually seen) | Ref: Cox, G. and M. Francis, 1997
Importance: commercial | Ref: Armitage, R.O., D.A. Payne, G.J. Lockley, H.M. Currie, R.L. Colban, B.G. Lamb and L.J. Paul (eds.), 1994
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: restricted | Ref: Cox, G. and M. Francis, 1997
Uses: gamefish: yes;
Comments: Recorded in trawl surveys in Chathams Island (Ref. 45493) and off the east coast of South Island (Ref. 58461). One of the most common sharks (reaching only about 170 cm TL) in New Zealand inshore waters. In the past, this species was one of the two main shark targets of the Maori; it was caught in large numbers in set nets duing the shark's annual inshore migration and was utilized as food and the liver oil was mixed with red ochre to make the distinctive red paint used by the Maori on their carvinges. A significant proportion of school sharks tagged in New Zealand have crossed the Tasman Sea to Australia. Commercially caught with longlines (Ref. 26346), trawls or set lines (Ref. 9258). Available throughout the year but landings peak during summer months (Ref. 9258). Taken as a non-target species by game fishers. Voucher specimen(s) held at the NMNZ (Ref. 5755). Also Ref. 244, 9987, 13563, 75154.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/nz.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.fish.govt.nz/
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Cox, G. and M. Francis, 1997
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) > Triakidae (Houndsharks) > Galeorhininae
Etymology: Galeorhinus: galeo, probably based on G. galeus (see below); rhinus, an ancient name for sharks, from rhine (Gr.), rasp, alluding to their rasp-like skin. (See ETYFish);  galeus: From galeos, a small shark or dogfish per Aristotle (sometimes translated as weasel), possibly referring to the pointed snouts, swift movements and/or rapacious feeding behavior of smaller predatory sharks1. (See ETYFish).
  More on author: Linnaeus.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; benthopelagic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 1100 m (Ref. 26346), usually 2 - 471 m (Ref. 43939).   Subtropical; 70°N - 58°S, 111°E - 37°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences |
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