Catalog of Fishes
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Carcharhinus brachyurus
(Günther, 1870)
Copper shark
Classification: Elasmobranchii Carcharhiniformes Carcharhinidae
Reference of the original description
Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. London, British Museum(Natural History). Vol. 8: 549 p.
Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. London, British Museum(Natural History). Vol. 8: 549 p.
Image of the original description
No image in first description.
No image in first description.
Synonyms / new combinations and misspellings
Carcharhinus aff. brachyurus, Carcharhinus ahenea, Carcharhinus cf. brachiurus, Carcharhinus cf. brachyurus, Carcharhinus greyi greyi, Carcharhinus improvisus, Carcharhinus lamiella, Carcharhinus remotoides, Carcharhinus rochensis, Carcharias brachyurus, Carcharias lamiella, Carcharinus aff. brachyurus, Carcharinus brachyurus, Carcharinus improvisus, Eulamia ahenea, Eulamia brachyura, Eulamia lamiella, Galeolamna ahenea, Galeolamna brachyurus, Galeolamna greyi
Carcharhinus aff. brachyurus, Carcharhinus ahenea, Carcharhinus cf. brachiurus, Carcharhinus cf. brachyurus, Carcharhinus greyi greyi, Carcharhinus improvisus, Carcharhinus lamiella, Carcharhinus remotoides, Carcharhinus rochensis, Carcharias brachyurus, Carcharias lamiella, Carcharinus aff. brachyurus, Carcharinus brachyurus, Carcharinus improvisus, Eulamia ahenea, Eulamia brachyura, Eulamia lamiella, Galeolamna ahenea, Galeolamna brachyurus, Galeolamna greyi
Types
Carcharhinus brachyurus
Syntype: BMNH: 1846.9.11.118 BMNH: 1953.5.10.6; Neotype: NMNZ: P02262;
Carcharhinus improvisus
Holotype: SAIAB: (not found in 1996);
Carcharhinus remotoides
Holotype: ECSFI: SH75-0556; Paratype: ECSFI: SH75-0085; ECSFI: SH75-0538;
Carcharhinus rochensis
Holotype: DZVU: AA(E) 5; Paratype: DZVU: AA(E) 12; DZVU: AA(E) 13;
Carcharias lamiella
Syntype: USNM: 27366;
Eulamia ahenea
Holotype: AMS: IB.501; Syntype: USNM: 114946;
Galeolamna greyi
Holotype: RCSE: (destroyed)
Carcharhinus brachyurus
Syntype: BMNH: 1846.9.11.118 BMNH: 1953.5.10.6; Neotype: NMNZ: P02262;
Carcharhinus improvisus
Holotype: SAIAB: (not found in 1996);
Carcharhinus remotoides
Holotype: ECSFI: SH75-0556; Paratype: ECSFI: SH75-0085; ECSFI: SH75-0538;
Carcharhinus rochensis
Holotype: DZVU: AA(E) 5; Paratype: DZVU: AA(E) 12; DZVU: AA(E) 13;
Carcharias lamiella
Syntype: USNM: 27366;
Eulamia ahenea
Holotype: AMS: IB.501; Syntype: USNM: 114946;
Galeolamna greyi
Holotype: RCSE: (destroyed)
Description :
Citation: Carcharhinus brachyurus (Günther, 1870): In: Database of modern sharks, rays and chimaeras, www.shark-references.com, World Wide Web electronic publication, Version 04/2024
Please send your images of "Carcharhinus brachyurus" to info@shark-references.com
Carcharhinus brachyurus (Günther, 1870), bronze whaler or copper shark, Gansbaai, South Africa, Atlantic Ocean © Alessandro De Maddalena
Carcharhinus brachyurus (Günther, 1870), bronze whaler or copper shark, Gansbaai, South Africa, Atlantic Ocean © Alessandro De Maddalena
Common names
Kupferhai, 
Bacota, Cazón, Jaqueta, Jaquetón, Tiburón cobrizo, Tollo mantequero, 
Requin, Requin cuivre, 
Black-tipped whaler, Bronze, Bronze shark whaler, Bronze whaler, Bronze whaler shark, Bronzie, Cocktail, Cocktail shark, Cocktail whaler, Copper shark, Narrow-tooth shark, Narrowtooth shark, Shark, 
Squalo ramato, 
Cação, Tubarão-cobre
Kupferhai, Bacota, Cazón, Jaqueta, Jaquetón, Tiburón cobrizo, Tollo mantequero, Requin, Requin cuivre, Black-tipped whaler, Bronze, Bronze shark whaler, Bronze whaler, Bronze whaler shark, Bronzie, Cocktail, Cocktail shark, Cocktail whaler, Copper shark, Narrow-tooth shark, Narrowtooth shark, Shark, Squalo ramato, Cação, Tubarão-cobre
Short Description
A large shark to with a bluntly pointed, broad snout, narrow, bent cusps on the upper teeth, and with no interdorsal ridge [536]. Grey to bronzy in color, white below [536]; fins mostly plain except for dusky tips on pelvic fins, as well as dusky to black tips and rear edges on pectoral fins [544].
A large shark to with a bluntly pointed, broad snout, narrow, bent cusps on the upper teeth, and with no interdorsal ridge [536]. Grey to bronzy in color, white below [536]; fins mostly plain except for dusky tips on pelvic fins, as well as dusky to black tips and rear edges on pectoral fins [544].
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil to Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: off France southward and around the coast of southern Africa to central Natal, South Africa [536], including the Mediterranean. Possibly two separate populations in southern Africa [4473]. Western Pacific: Japan to New Zealand. Eastern Pacific: southern California, USA to the Gulf of California in Mexico and Peru.
First records: 2006: Tyrrhenian Sea (Mediterranean) [20297]; Source: www.gbif.org
Western Atlantic: Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil to Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: off France southward and around the coast of southern Africa to central Natal, South Africa [536], including the Mediterranean. Possibly two separate populations in southern Africa [4473]. Western Pacific: Japan to New Zealand. Eastern Pacific: southern California, USA to the Gulf of California in Mexico and Peru.
First records: 2006: Tyrrhenian Sea (Mediterranean) [20297]; Source: www.gbif.org
Human uses
fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; price category: high; price reliability: reliable: based on ex-vessel price for this species
fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; price category: high; price reliability: reliable: based on ex-vessel price for this species
Biology
Viviparous, with a yolk-sac placenta. Litter contains 7 to 20 pups [1388] (Ref. 6390). Young born at 59 - 70 cm TL (Ref. 6390). Pupping may occur at any time of the year but there is a peak in births in summer (Ref. 6390). Distinct pairing with embrace [17086]. These sharks enter estuaries occasionally. Found from surf zone to at least 100 m (Refs. 6390) [1388]. Occurs on the continental shelf (Ref. 75154).
Viviparous, with a yolk-sac placenta. Litter contains 7 to 20 pups [1388] (Ref. 6390). Young born at 59 - 70 cm TL (Ref. 6390). Pupping may occur at any time of the year but there is a peak in births in summer (Ref. 6390). Distinct pairing with embrace [17086]. These sharks enter estuaries occasionally. Found from surf zone to at least 100 m (Refs. 6390) [1388]. Occurs on the continental shelf (Ref. 75154).
Size / Weight / Age
325 cm TL (male/unsexed; [17644]); max. published weight: 304.6 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 30 years [4473]
325 cm TL (male/unsexed; [17644]); max. published weight: 304.6 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 30 years [4473]
Habitat
reef-associated; oceanodromous [17660]; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 360 m (Ref. 58018)
reef-associated; oceanodromous [17660]; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 360 m (Ref. 58018)
Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=727; Taxonomic remark: Carcharias (Prionodon) remotus Dumeril, 1865 is a synonym of Carcharhinus acronotus; Carcharhinus remotus Dumeril, 1865 is a synonym of Carcharhinus brachyurus (see Compagno 1984 [517], Compagno 1988 [519])
shark-references Species-ID=727; Taxonomic remark: Carcharias (Prionodon) remotus Dumeril, 1865 is a synonym of Carcharhinus acronotus; Carcharhinus remotus Dumeril, 1865 is a synonym of Carcharhinus brachyurus (see Compagno 1984 [517], Compagno 1988 [519])
Parasites (arranged by Jürgen Pollerspöck)
Monogenea
Cestoda
Nematoda
Copepoda
Hirudinea
Monogenea
- Loimos winteri Caballero & Bravo-Hollis, 1961 [23771]
Cestoda
- Cathetocephalus australis Schmidt & Beveridge, 1990 [16197] [21197] [25154] [31906]
- Dasyrhynchus basipunctatus (Carvajal, Campbell & Cornford, 1976) [21718]
- Dasyrhynchus pacificus Robinson, 1965 [16408] [5977] [16112] [25154]
- Dasyrhynchus talismani Dollfus, 1935 [5977] [16112]
- Dollfusiella martini (Beveridge, 1990) [16252] [16112]
- Dollfusiella ocallaghani (Beveridge, 1990) Beveridge & Jones, 2000 [16252] [16112]
- Floriceps minacanthus Campbell & Beveridge, 1987 [16277] [16112]
- Heteronybelinia australis Palm & Beveridge, 2002 [17845] [16112]
- Nybelinia thyrsites Korotaeva, 1971 [17845] [16112]
- Otobothrium carcharidis (Shipley & Hornell, 1906) [17826]
- Paragrillotia spratti (Campbell & Beveridge, 1993) [16281] [16112]
- Phoreiobothrium robertsoni Caira, Richmond & Swanson, 2005 [16205]
- Poecilancistrium caryophyllum (Diesing, 1850) Dollfus, 1929 [16112]
Nematoda
- Contracaecum sp. [10102]
Copepoda
- Alebion gracilis Wilson, 1905 [14785]
- Echthrogaleus coleoptratus (Guérin-Méneville, 1837) [21826]
- Nesippus orientalis Heller, 1868 [15304] [15284] [27172]
- Pandarus cranchii Leach, 1819 [14785]
- Paralebion elongatus Wilson, 1911 [16962]
Hirudinea
- Pontobdella macrothela (Schimarda, 1861) [5523]
Image gallery
