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Crocodile shark (Pseudocarcharias kamoharai) — Pseudocarchariidae

Crocodile shark

Pseudocarcharias kamoharai
LC · Least Concern

The Crocodile shark (Pseudocarcharias kamoharai) is a saltwater fish of the family Pseudocarchariidae that grows up to 110 cm.

Length
110 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–590.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The crocodile shark is a small, slender pelagic shark occurring in all tropical and subtropical oceans. The species grows to about 1.1 to 1.2 metres and has a spindle-shaped, grey-brown body with very large eyes lacking a nictitating membrane and a mouth full of long, needle-sharp teeth. It lives in open water from the surface to about 600 metres and hunts small pelagic fish, squid and shrimp. Despite its formidable teeth it poses no danger to people. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Crocodile shark?

The Crocodile shark has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Crocodile shark live?

The Crocodile shark lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Crocodile shark get?

The Crocodile shark grows to a maximum of about 110 cm. On average the species is around 100 cm.

Is the Crocodile shark dangerous to humans?

No, the Crocodile shark is harmless to humans.

Is the Crocodile shark edible?

The Crocodile shark is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Krokodilhaai sourced
English name
Crocodile shark verified
Scientific name
Pseudocarcharias kamoharai
Family
Pseudocarchariidae
Other names
Crocodile shark verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
110.0 verified
Average length (cm)
100.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
590.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Sportvissen met kunstaas of (dood/levend) aasvis door te trollen, te werpen of drijvend te vissen in open water. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

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