Oceanic Whitetip Shark(Carcharhinus longimanus) By: Sam Kraybill and Troy Fort

Geographical Range

I prefer deep ocean water of about 18 degrees.Lies mainly between 45° N and 43° S latitude.I spend most of my time in water of about 150 meters.

Physical TraitsLong, wing like pectoral fins make me very

recognizable.Color varies from brown to yellow to bronze

depending on my geographical region.I grow to around 10 feet in length and about 370 lbs.

Females are usually about 4 inches longer than males.

My upper jaw contains broad, triangular, serrated teeth, while the bottoms are only serrated at the tip.

I have nictitating membranes which are eyelids which close to protect its eyes when biting.

Diet and Feeding HabitsI feed on bony fish such as: lancetfish, oarfish,

barracuda, dolphinfish, marlin and tuna.I also eats stingrays, sea turtles, sea birds,

gastropods, crustaceans and mammalian carrion.You can tell by my diet that the whitetip shark has

evolved to eat whatever comes its way because it has no room to be a picky eater way out in the center of the ocean.

I find my prey using the sensitive area at the snout of the shark called the ampullae of Lorenzini which contain small jelly-filled sacs sensitive to small electrical impulses.

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/36697-ultimate-guide-to-sharks-ampullae-of-lorenzini-video.htm

PredatorsLarger sharks pose a major danger to

adolescent whitetips.

Survival of the Oceanic WhitetipMy number one threat is humans.Sharks have long meaty fins that make it an

excellent choice for fishermen to catch for sharkfin soup, a delicacy in certain Asian countries.

The fishermen catch the adults at such a high rate that the species doesn’t have enough time to repopulate.

Because of this, the species is vulnerable to extinction.

ReproductionMating takes place in the early summer in

the NW Atlantic Ocean and SW Indian Ocean.Interestingly, the female sharks like me are

viviparous meaning that the eggs hatch inside of the mother and are then born alive.

Year long gestation period.Usually gives birth to 1-15 pups.

Behavior

My relationship with the Shortfin Pilot whale make me interesting

In Hawaii I follow the Pilot Whales when they dive so that I may more easily feed on the squid with the whales.

I am typically solitary and move slowly.Except when ships come around I’ve been known to

follow them for vast distances.

Fun FactsA famed oceanographer named Jacques

Cousteau called me the most dangerous shark in the ocean.

I am accredited with the most casualties towards humans.

During WWII when the USS Indianapolis was sank by a German submarine I was thought to have caused the deaths of approximately ¼ of those who survived the initial sinking.

Bibliographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanic_whitetip_sharkhttp://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=89http://

www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/OceanicWT/OceanicWT.html

http://www.arkive.org/oceanic-whitetip-shark/carcharhinus-longimanus/

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/36697-ultimate-guide-to-sharks-ampullae-of-lorenzini-video.htm

http://voices.yahoo.com/fun-facts-information-oceanic-whitetip-3695946.html