April 2, 2025

Sealife guideThe galapagos sharkCarcharhinus galapagensis

Taxonomy
Description
The Galápagos shark is a large shark species, averaging about 10 feet in length. Its body is streamlined like most reef sharks and its coloration ranges from dark gray to light gray on the dorsal side and whitish on the ventral side.
The galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)
The galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) © | Dreamstime.com
The Galápagos shark features a tall, rounded first dorsal fin followed by a smaller second dorsal fin. Its caudal fin is asymmetrical with the upper lobe larger than the lower lobe.
The Galápagos shark has a robust upper jaw dentition with broad, triangular teeth effective for catching prey.
Range
These sharks are primarily found in the eastern Pacific ocean, particularly around the Galápagos islands, from which they get their name. They are also present in other regions of the Pacific ocean, such as the west coast of Mexico and the Revillagigedo archipelago.
Habitat
The Galápagos shark is a reef shark that frequents the coastal waters of oceanic islands off Central and South America. It is notably abundant around the Galápagos islands which gave it its name. However, the Galápagos shark is also widely distributed across the world's seas and oceans in waters near coral reefs or continental slopes.
The Galápagos shark can be found at depths of up to about 920 feet.
Diet
This shark is a nocturnal hunter with a diet that includes a variety of prey such as bottom-dwelling fish, cephalopods including squid and octopuses, and crustaceans.
Reproduction
The Galápagos shark is a viviparous species that typically reaches sexual maturity around 8 to 10 years of age for females and 6 to 8 years for males.
After a gestation period of about a year, the female gives birth to a litter of several baby sharks with the number varying up to around fifteen.
Did you know ?
In the Galápagos National Park Marine Reserve, where three ocean currents converge, more than thirty shark species coexist, including common ones like the Galápagos shark, the silvertip shark and the blacktip reef shark as well as iconic species like the whale shark and the hammerhead shark !
The galapagos shark is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The galapagos shark appears in the IUCN Red List since 2019 within the category Least Concern !
Tips for observing
The Galápagos shark can be challenging to distinguish from other reef shark species like the dusky shark or the grey reef shark.
The galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)
The galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) © | Dreamstime.com
Within the same genus
Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)
Blacktip shark
(Carcharhinus limbatus)
Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas)
Bull shark
(Carcharhinus leucas)
Copper shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus)
Copper shark
(Carcharhinus brachyurus)
Blacknose shark (Carcharhinus acronotus)
Blacknose shark
(Carcharhinus acronotus)
Silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus)
Silvertip shark
(Carcharhinus albimarginatus)
Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus)
Oceanic whitetip shark
(Carcharhinus longimanus)
Dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus)
Dusky shark
(Carcharhinus obscurus)
Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)
Silky Shark
(Carcharhinus falciformis)
Within the same family
Blue shark (Prionace glauca)
Blue shark
(Prionace glauca)
Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris)
Lemon shark
(Negaprion brevirostris)
Whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus)
Whitetip reef shark
(Triaenodon obesus)
Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Tiger shark
(Galeocerdo cuvier)
Explore also
Pacific angelshark (Squatina californica)
Pacific angelshark
(Squatina californica)
Frilled shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus)
Frilled shark
(Chlamydoselachus anguineus)
Tawny nurse shark (Nebrius ferrugineus)
Tawny nurse shark
(Nebrius ferrugineus)
Broadnose sevengill shark (Notorynchus cepedianus)
Broadnose sevengill shark
(Notorynchus cepedianus)
Pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus)
Pelagic thresher shark
(Alopias pelagicus)
Ornate wobbegong (Orectolobus ornatus)
Ornate wobbegong
(Orectolobus ornatus)
Zebra shark (Stegostoma fasciatum)
Zebra shark
(Stegostoma fasciatum)
Puffadder shyshark (Haploblepharus edwardsii)
Puffadder shyshark
(Haploblepharus edwardsii)
The marine species from Galapagos
Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)
Galapagos penguin
(Spheniscus mendiculus)
Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)
Galapagos shark
(Carcharhinus galapagensis)
Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)
Marine iguana
(Amblyrhynchus cristatus)
Mexican hogfish (Bodianus diplotaenia)
Mexican hogfish
(Bodianus diplotaenia)
Pacific creolefish (Cephalopholis colonus)
Pacific creolefish
(Cephalopholis colonus)
Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)
Scalloped hammerhead
(Sphyrna lewini)
Silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus)
Silvertip shark
(Carcharhinus albimarginatus)
Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
Whale shark
(Rhincodon typus)
Les destinations de plongée
Galapagos islands
Galapagos islands

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