Sandbar Shark

View all available Sandbar Shark Pictures in the Shark Pictures Database

Common Names: Sandbar Shark, Sand Shark.

Latin Name: Carcharhinus plumbeus

Family: Carcharhinidae

Identification: First dorsal fin distinctively large and high. Pectoral fins long and broad. Low interdorsal ridge. First dorsal originates over pectoral fins. Dorsum uniform grey with pale ventrum. Caudal fin sometimes dusky. Snout vertically compressed (thin and pointed).

Size: Maximum length 240cm. Size at birth 56-75cm.

Habitat: Intertidal to 280m. Most commonly encountered around sand flats close to shore. Also inhabits reefs and seen in surface layer over deep water. In Hawaii attends shark feeds in the presence of Galapagos Sharks.

Abundance and distribution: Circumtropical.

Behavior: Feeds in early morning hours on benthic bony fishes, sharks (sharpnose, spiny dogfish, bonnethead), rays (cownose, guitarfish, skates and skate egg cases, and stingrays), and crustaceans.

Reproduction: Viviparous. Recorded litter size 1 - 14. Gestation period 8 - 12 months. During copulation the male Sandbar Shark repeatedly bites female until she turns on her back at which point he inserts both claspers into her cloaca.

Observations: Sometimes seen swimming with dorsal fin above water.

Photographs: Texas.

Similar species: May be confused with other requiem sharks but with experience the Sandbar Shark is easily recognizable by its high dorsal fin.

Reaction to divers: Known to make close passes at divers but rarely implicated in attacks.

Diving logistics: The Sandbar Shark can be seen in many areas but a close encounter is most likely at a shark feed such as the one organized off Haleiwa in Hawaii.

Other diving locations submitted by readers:

From lonely Planet online discussion forum:

It was determined that Boncuk Bay in Gökova, Turkey, is the second breeding zone of the Sandbar shark, after the southern coasts of North America. The bay has been declared a Protected Nature Reserve, and is now closed to sea traffic. A team of experts undertook close study of the sharks during the last year, a difficult and lengthy process, because of their shy nature, and because they could only be approached from the surface of the water.
However, a recent project prepared for the Boncuk Bay Shark Obsveration Facilities will enable tourists to observe the sharks with more ease, and Shark tourism will begin in Boncuk Bay as of 5th May, World Environment Day.

References and further reading:

Reef Sharks and Rays of the World. Scott W. Michael. Sea Challengers.

Sharks and Rays - Elasmobranch Guide of the World. Ralf M. Hennemann. IKAN.

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SANDBAR SHARK