Carcharhinus limbatus (Müller & Henle, 1839 )

Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, Zootaxa 4947 (1), pp. 1-127 : 63-64

Carcharhinus limbatus (Müller & Henle, 1839)

Common Blacktip Shark

Carcharias (Prionodon) limbatus Valenciennes in M̹ller & Henle, 1839: 49, pl. 19 (teeth). Syntypes (2): only 1 syntype still in existence; MNHN 0000-3468 (mounted skin). Type locality: Martinique, Lesser Antilles , Western Atlantic.

Local synonymy: Carcharinus limbatus: Robinson & Dunn, 1923: 63 ; Barnard, 1925: 26; Smith, 1952b: 858; Smith, 1952c: 760; Smith, 1953 e: 6, fig. 3; Smith, 1953: 40, pl. 104; Davies, 1963: 24; Davies, 1964: 194, pls. 19–20, 43, 59. (?) Eulamia limbatus: von Bonde, 1934: 14 . Galeolamna limbata: Fowler, 1956: 23 , fig. 9. Carcharhinus limbatus: D’Aubrey, 1964a: 42 , pl. 24; Smith, 1965: 40, fig. 5; Davies & Joubert, 1966: 15; Davies & Joubert, 1967: 121; Garrick, 1967: 89; Bass et al., 1973: 46, fig. 17; Garrick, 1982: 28, figs. 16–18; Compagno, 1984b: 481, fig.; Bass et al., 1986: 73, fig. 9.10, pl. 2; Cliff & Wilson, 1986: 18; Compagno, 1988a: 7; Compagno et al., 1989: 66, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 120; Heemstra & Heemstra, 2004: 58; Compagno et al., 2005: 300, fig., pl. 57; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 469, fig., pl. 66; Mann, 2013: 35; NPOA, 2013: 41; da Silva et al., 2015: 246; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 146; Weigmann, 2016: 857. (non) Eulamia limbatus: Fowler, 1935: 362 (= C. humani ). (non) Eulamia limbata: Smith, 1949a: 40 , fig. 5 (= C. obscurus ). (non) Carcharhinus limbatus: Doyle, 1964: 18 , pl. (= C. brachyurus ).

South Africa voucher material: SAIAB 6165 [ex ORI 2388], SAIAB 6166 [ex ORI 1079], SAIAB 6220 [ex ORI 1996], SAIAB 10563, SAIAB 75558, SAIAB 75559, SAIAB 75560, SAIAB 75561.

South African distribution: East London (EC) to the KZN border with Mozambique, and rarely to Cape Point (WC). There is a record of this species from the “vicinity” of Cape Town in December 1961 ( Bass et al., 1973).

Remarks:A very common inshore species in KZN waters.The taxonomic history is convoluted due to misidentification with other “blacktip” shark species in the area, particularly C. brevipinna , young C. obscurus , and C. sorrah .

Conservation status: NT (2009).