Author: (Whitley, 1934)
Field Marks:
A moderately large, tubby grey shark with fairly short, wedge-shaped pointed snout, fairly large eyes, large gill slits, erect and narrow-cusped serrated teeth in both jaws, upper teeth without cusplets, 15/14 to 15 rows of anteroposterior teeth, no interdorsal ridge, moderately large pectoral fins, a large, triangular first dorsal with a short rear tip and a moderately large second dorsal with a short rear tip, a conspicuous white flank mark, and often black-tipped fins.
Diagnostic Features:
A moderate-sized, stoutbodied species (up to about 1.7 m total length). Snout short and moderately pointed; internarial width 1 to 1.2 times in preoral length; eyes circular and moderately large, 1.2 to 2.1% of total length; upper labial furrows short and inconspicuous; hyomandibular line of pores just behind mouth corners not conspicuously enlarged; 15/14 to 15 rows of anteroposterior teeth in each jaw half; upper teeth with narrow, strongly serrated, erect to slightly oblique cusps, and crown feet with slightly coarser serrations but no cusplets; lower teetn witn erect, serrated cusps and transverse roots. No interdorsal ridge. First dorsal fin rather large, broadly triangular and semifalcate, with a pointed or narrowly rounded apex and posterior margin curving ventrally from apex; origin of first dorsal fin over or slightly posterior to pectoral insertion; second dorsal fin large and high, its height 3.1 to 3.7% of total length, its inner margin short and 1 to 1.2 times its height; origin of second dorsal about over or slightly in front of anal fin origin; pectoral fins rather large, falcate, and with narrowly rounded or pointed apex; length of pectoral anterior margins about 18 to 20% of total length in specimens 80 or more cm long; 168 to 193 total vertebral centra, 78 to 96 precaudal centra. Black tips usually present on pectorals, first and second dorsals, and ventral caudal lobe, and sometimes on pelvic fins, and dusky edges usually on dorsal caudal lobe; large adults may have dark fin markings obscure or obsolete. A conspicuous white band present on flank.
Geographical Distribution:
Indo-West Pacific: Gulf of Aden, India (southwestern coast), Sri Lanka, Gulf of Thailand (Thailand), The Philippines, Viet Nam, Java, Borneo, Australia (Queensland, northwestern coast).
Habitat and Biology:
A little-known but probably common tropical, inshore and offshore, coastal-pelagic species, found over the continental and insular shelves. Viviparous. Probably eats mostly fish as do its relatives C. brevipinna and C. limbatus. Harmless to people as presently known, but potentially dangerous.
Size:
Maximum at least 167 cm (adult female), adult male 140 cm; size at birth about 52 to 55 cm.
Interest to Fisheries:
Apparently caught by fisheries off Sri Lanka, India, the Gulf of Thailand, and elsewhere where this species occurs, but details of its fishery status are lacking. Probably caught in gillnets and with line gear, and eaten fresh and dried salted.
Type material:
Holotype: Queensland Museum, QMB 1. 2003, 595 mm immature female. Type Locality: Cape Bowling Green, Queensland.