Sliteye Shark

Sliteye Shark Latest News

For the first time, scientists have recorded the sliteye shark in the Great Chagos Bank in the Indian Ocean, the world’s largest coral atoll.

About Sliteye Shark

• It is a small-bodied shark species found in inshore waters throughout the Indo-West Pacific. 
• It is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, and the only member of its genus, Loxodon. 
• Scientific Name: Loxodon macrorhinus
• Named for its distinctive, slit-like eyes—thought to enhance vision in low-light conditions—the sliteye shark is well adapted to deeper, dimly lit environments as well as clear and shallow waters.
• Distribution: Widespread in tropical waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans between 34°N and 30°S off the coasts of Australia, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Taiwan, Tanzania, and Yemen. 

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Sliteye Shark Features

• It is a small shark with a very slender body, a long narrow face, large eyes, and short furrows at the corners of the mouth. 
• It can reach a length of about 95 cm.
• The teeth are small, with a protruding tip and smooth edges. 
• The ridge between the dorsal fins is absent or rudimentary. 
• The coloration of the Sliteye shark is gray, the belly is white, and the edges of the fins are pale (transparent when alive). 
• The caudal and first dorsal fins have dark edges.

Sliteye Shark Conservation Status

It is classified as ‘Near Threatened’ under the IUCN Red List.

Source: MC