Galeorhinus galeus
Tope
Federal:
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NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fishes)
Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
Triakidae (Hound Sharks)
Galeorhinus
Galeorhinus galeus (Tope)
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: elongated. A large houndshark with a long, pointed snout, a large mouth, and small blade-like teeth; 2nd dorsal about as large as anal fin and terminal caudal lobe as long as rest of fin (Ref. 5578). Greyish above, white below; young with black markings on fins (Ref. 5578).
Distribution
World-wide in temperate waters (Ref. 58085). Western Atlantic: southern Brazil to Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland, Norway, Faeroe Islands, British Isles to the Mediterranean and Senegal; Namibia to South Africa (Western Indian Ocean). Western Pacific: Australia and New Zealand. Eastern Pacific: British Columbia (Canada) to southern Baja California, Gulf of California; Peru and Chile. Questionable records in Ivory Coast, Nigerai, Gabon to Congo Dem Rep and Laysan Is. (Hawaii) (Ref 244).
Habitat Associations
Marine. benthopelagic. depth range 0-1100 m. Found in: estuaries.
Biology
Mainly demersal on continental and insular shelves, but also on the upper slopes, at depths from near shore to 550 m (Ref. 6871), but has been shown to be pelagic in the open ocean (frequently caught on floating tuna longlines over deep water, and many New Zealand-tagged specimens have been recaptured in Australia) (Ref. 26346). Occurs in small schools that are highly migratory in higher latitudes in their range (Ref. 244). There is pronounced partial segregation by size and sex in some areas (Ref. 244). Feeds on fishes (bottom as well as pelagic species, Ref. 26346), crustaceans, cephalopods, worms, and echinoderms (Ref. 244). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Targeted for human consumption, liver for squalene oil, fins for soup (Ref. 244); also utilized as fishmeal (Ref. 13563). Marketed fresh, dried-salted, and frozen (Ref. 9987). Adapts well in captivity if carefully captured and handled (Ref. 12951).
Max length: 193.0 cm TL; common length: 160.0 cm TL; max weight: 44670 g; max age: 55 years.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: internal (oviduct); bearers (internal live bearers). Ovoviviparous, without a yolk-sac placenta (Ref. 244). Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). 6 to 52 young in a litter (Ref. 26346). Litter size increases with the size of the mother. Embryos reach 30-36 cm TL at birth (Ref. 6080). In the southern waters of Australia, newly born and older juveniles (30-70 cm long) aggregate in 'nursery areas' found in shallow waters.They move to deeper coastal waters to over-winter. The following spring finds most of these young returning to their nursery areas. The older ones, aged 2 years and over move instead to eastern Bass Strait where most of the immature stock are found. The length of an average full-term embryo is 32 cm. Spawning frequency is once every year, ovulation occurring in early summer and parturition is completed by January of the following year. Gestation period lasts for about 12 months (Ref. 6390, 6871).
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR), assessed 2020-02-14. Resilience: Low (rm=0.033; tmax=55; Fec=6-52).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish; aquarium: public aquariums.
References
Compagno, L.J.V. (1984) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/2):251-655. Rome: FAO.
Compagno, L.J.V., D.A. Ebert and M.J. Smale (1989) Guide to the sharks and rays of southern Africa. New Holland (Publ.) Ltd., London. 158 p.
Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve (1993) Australian fisheries resources. Bureau of Resource Sciences, Canberra, Australia. 422 p.
Ripley, E. (1946) The biology of the soupfin Galeorhinus zyopterus and biochemical studies of the liver. Fish. Bull. 64.
Greenstreet, S.P.R. (1996) Estimation of the daily consumption of food by fish in the North Sea in each quarter of the year. Scottish Fish. Res. Rep. No. 55.
Cox, G. and M. Francis (1997) Sharks and rays of New Zealand. Canterbury Univ. Press, Univ. of Canterbury. 68 p.
Cortés, E. (1999) Standardized diet compositions and trophic levels of sharks. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 56:707-717.
IGFA (2001) Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Compagno, L.J.V., D. Dando and S. Fowler (2005) Sharks of the world. Princeton field guides. Harper Collins Publishing Ltd., London. 368 p.
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