The blacktip tope, also known as the pencil shark or the blacktip topeshark, is a houndshark living in the Indo-west Pacific.
Blacktip Tope Scientific Classification |
|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Chondrichthyes |
| Order | Carcharhiniformes |
| Family | Triakidae |
| Genus | Hypogaleus |
| Scientific Name | H. hyugaensis |
Description
Blacktip topes are generally about 46 inches long. When looked at from above, this shark is a dull grey. When looked at from below, it is much lighter.
Where do they live
Map Of The Blacktip Tope Shark’s Habitat
This shark has been spotted throughout the Indo-west Pacific, with sightings in East Africa, Japan, southern Australia, Taiwan, and the Persian Gulf.
Its depth range is between 131 and 754.5 feet.
Behavior
Feeding
They appear to feed on cephalopods and fish.
Reproductive
Females give live birth to about ten pups after a gestation period of 15 months. The newborn sharks are about 13.77 inches at birth. Sexual maturity is observed when the juveniles are about 37 inches long.
Interactions with humans
The IUCN lists this shark as “Least Concern” or “LC”.
