9: CARCHARHINIDAE (REQUIEM SHARKS)
9.35 Triaenodon obesus: 139 em male (Natal). N & T as in 2.1.
Genus Triaenodon Muller & Henle 1837
Monotypic.
9.35 Triaenodon obesus
(Ruppell,1837)
Blunthead shark
Stompkophaai
Carcharhinus obesus Riippell, 1837: 64, PI. 18, Fig. 2 (DjeUa).
Triaenodon obesus: Smith, 1953: 511, No. 138*; Bass et aI., 1975: 24*;
Randall, 1977: 143'.
Spiracles usually present. No interdorsal ridge. Minute lip folds.
T h 47-50.
I
2 fu . I
. ' 1 .
d I
eet 44-46; In at east
nctlOna rows; simi ar In upper an ower
jaws; each with an oblique central cusp flanked by 1 or more large dentic1es on each side. Precaudal vertebrae 128.
Viviparous; 1-5 pups per litter, born at about 45 cm;
males mature at 80-85 cm; females at about 100 cm; attains
160 cm. Characteristic colour pattern of greyish brown
above, white below with fins plain except for distinct white
tips to 1st D and upper C lobe. A sluggish inhabitant of coral
reef areas; often found resting on bottom of caves; enter
crevices and holes to feed on fish, octopus or crustaceans;
occasionally aggressive to man when fish have been
speared. Widely distributed in tropical Indo- Pacific, ranges
south to Natal.
9.36 Triakis megalopterus: 145 em mature female (Algoa Bay) . N & T as in 2.1.
86
T
Genus Triakis Muller & Henle, 1838
Second D more than V2 height of 1st D. Mouth broadly
arcuate, its length distinctly less than V2 its width; snout
short, subequal to or less than mouth width. Teeth with a
narrow erect cusp.
Moderate sized sharks (less than 2 m) of shallow waters.
Four species in Pacific Ocean; 1 endemic species in our
area .
9.36 Triakis megalopterus
(Smith,1839)
Spotted gullyshark
Gespikkelde sloothaai
Mustelus megalopterus Smith, 1839: PI. 2 (Cape seas); Smith, 1957:
357'; 1961: 565, No. IS8. Mustelus natalensis Steindachner, 1866: 482, PI.
1 (Port Natal = Durban); Smith, 1957: 357*; 1961: 565, No. 178. Mustelus
punctulatus (non Risso): Smith, SFSA No. IS* (in part). Mustelus
nigropunctatus Smith, 1952: 223, PI. 13 (Keiskamma River mouth, eastern Cape Province); 1953: 45, No. IS* (in part); 1957: 357*. Triakis
megalopterus: Bass et aI., 1975: 16*; van der Elst, 1981: 43*. Triakis
natalensis: Bass et aI., 1975: 17'.
A heavy-bodied shark with large fins, blunt snout and wide mouth;
snout length distinctly less than mouth width; P length 15-19% TL. Precaudal vertebrae 103-107. Interdorsal ridge present.
9.35 Triaenodon obesus: 139 em male (Natal). N & T as in 2.1.
Genus Triaenodon Muller & Henle 1837
Monotypic.
9.35 Triaenodon obesus
(Ruppell,1837)
Blunthead shark
Stompkophaai
Carcharhinus obesus Riippell, 1837: 64, PI. 18, Fig. 2 (DjeUa).
Triaenodon obesus: Smith, 1953: 511, No. 138*; Bass et aI., 1975: 24*;
Randall, 1977: 143'.
Spiracles usually present. No interdorsal ridge. Minute lip folds.
T h 47-50.
I
2 fu . I
. ' 1 .
d I
eet 44-46; In at east
nctlOna rows; simi ar In upper an ower
jaws; each with an oblique central cusp flanked by 1 or more large dentic1es on each side. Precaudal vertebrae 128.
Viviparous; 1-5 pups per litter, born at about 45 cm;
males mature at 80-85 cm; females at about 100 cm; attains
160 cm. Characteristic colour pattern of greyish brown
above, white below with fins plain except for distinct white
tips to 1st D and upper C lobe. A sluggish inhabitant of coral
reef areas; often found resting on bottom of caves; enter
crevices and holes to feed on fish, octopus or crustaceans;
occasionally aggressive to man when fish have been
speared. Widely distributed in tropical Indo- Pacific, ranges
south to Natal.
9.36 Triakis megalopterus: 145 em mature female (Algoa Bay) . N & T as in 2.1.
86
T
Genus Triakis Muller & Henle, 1838
Second D more than V2 height of 1st D. Mouth broadly
arcuate, its length distinctly less than V2 its width; snout
short, subequal to or less than mouth width. Teeth with a
narrow erect cusp.
Moderate sized sharks (less than 2 m) of shallow waters.
Four species in Pacific Ocean; 1 endemic species in our
area .
9.36 Triakis megalopterus
(Smith,1839)
Spotted gullyshark
Gespikkelde sloothaai
Mustelus megalopterus Smith, 1839: PI. 2 (Cape seas); Smith, 1957:
357'; 1961: 565, No. IS8. Mustelus natalensis Steindachner, 1866: 482, PI.
1 (Port Natal = Durban); Smith, 1957: 357*; 1961: 565, No. 178. Mustelus
punctulatus (non Risso): Smith, SFSA No. IS* (in part). Mustelus
nigropunctatus Smith, 1952: 223, PI. 13 (Keiskamma River mouth, eastern Cape Province); 1953: 45, No. IS* (in part); 1957: 357*. Triakis
megalopterus: Bass et aI., 1975: 16*; van der Elst, 1981: 43*. Triakis
natalensis: Bass et aI., 1975: 17'.
A heavy-bodied shark with large fins, blunt snout and wide mouth;
snout length distinctly less than mouth width; P length 15-19% TL. Precaudal vertebrae 103-107. Interdorsal ridge present.