Caribbean Reef Shark

Facts about Caribbean Reef Sharks, "Scientific for Caribbean Reef Shark is Carcharhinus perezi" A Caribbean reef shark is mostly found in the tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean stretching from Florida all the way to Brazil. The Caribbean Reef Shark species has a streamlined body that can at times pose an identification challenge when compared with other members of the same family such as the silky shark and dusky shark.


Physical Description of Caribbean Reef Sharks

The Caribbean Reef Shark is a type of shark is heavy bodied and streamlined in shape. Caribbean Reef Shark measures between 6 1/2 to 8 feet 2 inches (2 to 2.5 meters) in length and the maximum recorded length is 10 feet (3 meters). Also the Caribbean Reef Sharks can measure up to 155 pounds (70 kg) in weight. They have a gray brown or dark gray coloration above and a white yellow coloration below combined with inconspicuous white band around the flanks.

Geographical Distribution and Habitat of Caribbean Reef Sharks

Many of the Caribbean Reef Shark are found in the north to south stretch from North Carolina all the way to Brazil. In parts of Bermuda, the Caribbean Sea and the Northern Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Reef Sharks can also be spotted. It prefers areas that have shallow waters especially around coral reefs.

Behavioral Patterns of Caribbean Reef Sharks

The Caribbean Reef Sharks are known to be active mostly at night and they do not change in behavior regardless of the season. The Juveniles maintain a rather localized interaction with the environment while the adult Caribbean Reef Sharks roam about covering wide stretches of water areas.

Feeding of Caribbean Reef Sharks

The Caribbean Reef Sharks feed on a number of fishes and cephalopods that reside in the coral reefs. Some of the sharks target eagle rays and yellow stingrays for food. Usually the Caribbean Reef Sharks are sensitive to low frequency sounds because they are indicative of struggling fish.

Reproduction of Caribbean Reef Sharks

The gestation period the Caribbean reef shark is one year. The females are very productive and they become pregnant every year. The average litter size is around 4 to 6 and the newborn Caribbean Reef Shark measure more than 29 inches (74 cm) in length. Once the developing embryos exhaust the yolk which is their primary food supply, the yolk sac develops into a placenta and a channel through which they receive nourishment from the mother Caribbean Reef Shark. Male Caribbean Reef Shark become sexually mature at around 4 feet 9 inches to 5 1/2 feet (1.5 to 1.7 meters) while their female counterparts mature 6 1/2 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters).

There are over 400 types of sharks, Sharks have the most powerful jaws on on earth. Caribbean Reef Sharks jaws, both the upper and lower jaws move. Caribbean Reef Sharks skin is made of denticles instead of scales like other fish. The denticles are constructed like hard, sharp teeth (tooth-like projection) and this helps to protect the Caribbean Reef Shark from being injury. The Caribbean Reef Shark is carnivores, meaning: an animal that feeds on flesh (Meat). "Scientific name for Shark Selachimorpha"
"Fear of Sharks Selachophobia".