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Spinner Shark

The Spinner Shark dazzles with its aerial spins during feeding frenzies. This agile predator, with its sleek body and black-tipped fins, thrives in warm coastal waters, playing a vital role in marine ecosystems by controlling fish populations.

15-20 years
Lifespan
54.43 - 90.72 kg
Weight
Length: 1.829 - 2.743 m
Size
Grey, Black, Light-Brown
Color
Vulnerable
Conservation Status
Decreasing
Population Trend
Characteristics
Carcharhinus brevipinna, commonly known as the Spinner Shark, is noted for its remarkable spinning behavior when hunting. Found in warm coastal waters, it exhibits a slender, grey body with a white underside and distinctive black-tipped fins. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the marine ecosystem's balance.
Distribution Range of the Spinner Shark
Carcharhinus brevipinna, commonly known as the spinner shark, is found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Its geographical distribution includes the continental and insular shelves of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. In the Atlantic, it is found from North Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, including some areas of the Mediterranean Sea. In the Indian Ocean, it is distributed from South Africa to the Red Sea and India. In the Pacific Ocean, it ranges from the southern coast of Japan to northern Australia, including areas around the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.
Spinner Shark's Habitat
Environmental Conditions
The spinner shark typically inhabits coastal waters, preferring warm, shallow environments such as estuaries, bays, and continental shelves. It is often found in waters less than 100 meters deep but can also be found in deeper offshore waters. The water temperature in its habitat usually ranges between 20°C and 30°C.
Ecological Niche
Spinner sharks are pelagic and are known for their unique feeding behavior, where they spin out of the water when hunting schools of small fish. They play a crucial role in the marine ecosystem as apex predators, helping to maintain the balance of marine species populations. They are often found in mixed-species schools and may migrate seasonally, likely in response to water temperature changes or prey availability.