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| Carcharhinus albimarginatus | |
|---|---|
| Name | Silvertip shark |
| Status | VU |
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Carcharhinus |
| Species | albimarginatus |
| Authority | (Rüppell, 1837) |
Carcharhinus albimarginatus is a large requiem shark commonly known as the silvertip shark, recognized for its distinctive white-edged fins and occurrence in tropical and subtropical seas. With a broad Indo-Pacific distribution, this species is notable in fisheries science, marine conservation, and shark ecology studies involving institutions such as the IUCN, FAO, CSIRO, and WHO. It is frequently encountered in reef-associated research conducted by universities and agencies including the Smithsonian Institution, James Cook University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and NOAA.
Described by Eduard Rüppell in 1837, the species name derives from Latin roots widely used in zoological nomenclature during the 19th century and recorded in catalogs maintained by the British Museum and Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Taxonomic placement within the family Carcharhinidae has been tested against morphological matrices used by the Australian Museum and genetic datasets generated at institutions such as the Natural History Museum, Smithsonian, and University of Queensland. Comparative work referencing genera like Galeocerdo, Sphyrna, and Prionace appears in monographs from the Zoological Society of London and the Linnean Society, while modern molecular phylogenies published in journals linked to Cambridge University Press and Elsevier have refined relationships among requiem sharks.
Silvertip sharks attain lengths typically up to 2.5–3.0 m, with robust bodies documented in museum collections at the American Museum of Natural History and the Zoological Museum of Berlin. Diagnostic characters include broad, rounded snouts and conspicuous white margins on the dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, anal, and caudal fins, features illustrated in field guides produced by the FAO, CSIRO Publishing, and the Marine Biological Association. Dentition and vertebral counts used in systematics are comparable to descriptions in works from Harvard University, Yale Peabody Museum, and the California Academy of Sciences. Photographic records from the National Geographic Society and BBC Wildlife Trust provide common identification references for divers and researchers.
The species occupies tropical and warm temperate waters across the Indo-Pacific, with historical and contemporary records from locales linked to the Great Barrier Reef, Maldives, Seychelles, Hawaiian Islands, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden cataloged by the IUCN, UNEP, and regional ministries such as the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy. Habitat associations include outer reef slopes, coral atolls, and seamounts monitored in programs by NOAA, CI (Conservation International), and the Coral Triangle Initiative. Sightings and capture data are reported in fisheries statistics compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization and regional bodies like the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.
Silvertip sharks function as meso- to apex predators within reef ecosystems studied in projects funded by the National Science Foundation, European Research Council, and Australian Research Council. Population studies appear in journals affiliated with Oxford University Press and Springer, drawing on tagging programs run by the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries. Parasite-host records have been reported by institutions such as the Royal Society and Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, while stable isotope and trophic ecology work has been conducted at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Duke University Marine Lab.
Behavioral observations from dive operators, researchers at James Cook University, and documentary teams from BBC Natural History Unit indicate site fidelity around reefs and atolls and occasional pelagic excursions near oceanic islands like Palau and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Diet analyses published in manuscripts from the University of Miami and the University of California show predation on bony fishes, cephalopods, and elasmobranchs, consistent with trophic data used in assessments by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and the IUCN Shark Specialist Group. Interactions with sympatric species such as tiger shark and hammerhead are recorded in field notes from the Galápagos National Park and Aldabra Research Station.
Reproductive mode is viviparous with placental nourishment, a trait described in classical elasmobranch literature held at the Royal Society and works by pioneers like Theodore Gill and David Starr Jordan. Litter sizes, gestation periods, and age-at-maturity estimates derive from population studies reported by the FAO and regional universities including the University of the Philippines and University of Western Australia. Life-history parameters inform demographic models used by the IUCN, NOAA Fisheries, and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission for stock assessments and management advice.
Silvertip sharks are subject to directed and bycatch fisheries across their range, with catches appearing in national landing statistics compiled by FAO, regional bodies like the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, and NGOs including the Pew Charitable Trusts and WWF. They are implicated in a limited number of offshore bite incidents documented by maritime authorities and media organizations such as Reuters and The New York Times. Conservation measures include listing assessments by IUCN, fisheries regulations advised by FAO and regional commissions, and area-based protections implemented by marine protected area programs run by agencies like Parks Australia and the Coral Reef Alliance. Threats include overfishing, shark fin trade networks monitored by TRAFFIC, and habitat degradation highlighted by UNEP and the World Bank; mitigation strategies are promoted by the Convention on Biological Diversity and national fisheries reforms.
Category:Sharks