Not just Shark Pictures:
Elasmodiver contains photos of sharks, skates, rays, and chimaera's
from around the world. It began as a simple web based field guide to
help divers find the best places to encounter different species of
sharks and rays but it has slowly evolved into a much larger project
containing information on all aspects of shark diving and
photography. There are now more than a thousand shark pictures
and sections on shark evolution, biology, and conservation. There is
a large library of reviewed shark books, a constantly outdated shark
taxonomy page, a monster list of shark links, and deeper in the site
there are numerous articles and stories about shark encounters.
Elasmodiver is now so difficult to check for updates, that new
information and pictures are listed
on an Elasmodiver Updates Page that
can be accessed here:
If you're
looking for a broader range of marine life pictures the following
links represent a new area that contains pictures on other marine
organisms and on marine habitats. This expansion of Elasmodiver is
in its first stages but will eventually include pages on everything
from sea stars to nudibranches. Creating this portal will take time
and for now it consists of a token offering of fish pictures. Please
return regularly to enjoy the progress.
Identification:
Black
tips of pectorals, second dorsal, and lower caudal fin. All other fins may also
be edged in black or appear dusky. Snout long and pointed. Upper body gray to
light gray with a white streak present from above the pectoral fins
backwards joining the white underbelly half way to the tail. No interdorsal
ridge. First dorsal fin high and pointed.
Size:
Maximum
length 260cm. Size at birth 38-72cm.
Habitat:
Turbid inshore waters, lagoons, reef channels, reef drop offs and
seamounts. To 30m.
Abundance
and distribution: Circumtropical
and subtropical.
Behavior: Diet
consists primarily of fish including small sharks and rays. Also consume
crustaceans and snails and octopus. At Rangiroa the Blacktip passes out of the
lagoon on the ebbing tide to cruise the reef face. More active during daylight
hours.
Reproduction:
Viviparous.
Recorded litter size 1 - 10. Gestation period 11 - 12 months.
Observations:
Photographs:Walkers
Cay, Bahamas.
Similar species:
In the Caribbean the Blacktip is often confused with the Caribbean reef shark (C.perezi)
which is not as slender and long in front of the eyes and has a less pronounced
white stripe on its flank. Many other Carchhinids around the world are also hard
to distinguish from the blacktip shark. Commonly seen species include the Grey
reef (C.amblyrhynchos) and the Galapagos shark (C.galapagensis).
Fin tip coloration and proportion is the best clue.
Reaction to divers:Varied. Usually shy but during some
encounters the Blacktip shark can become aggressive making close passes and
bumping divers.
Diving
logistics: This
wide ranging species may be seen in a variety of locations. Drift dives
organized at Rangiroa Lagoon are often well populated with blacktips. The
chumsicle dive at Walkers Cay in the Bahamas is the best location in the
Caribbean to get very close to this shark.
Other diving locations submitted by
readers:
References
and further
reading:
Sharks of Tropical and Temperate Seas. - R.H.
Johnson - Pisces Books
Reef
Sharks and Rays of the World. Scott W. Michael. Sea Challengers.
Sharks
and Rays - Elasmobranch Guide of the World. Ralf M. Hennemann. IKAN.
