Human’s Whaler Shark
Carcharhinus humani White & Weigmann, 2014: 72, figs. 1–6. Holotype: ZMH 26030. Type locality: Off Socotra Islands, 12°04'48"S, 53°12'36"W – 12°09'12"S, 53°10'06"W.
Local synonymy: Carcharhinus dussumieri: Smith, 1952e: 22, fig. 3; Smith, 1952b: 858; Smith, 1965: 42, fig. 8. Carcharhinus menisorrah: Smith, 1961b: 29. Carcharhinus tjutjot: D’Aubrey, 1964a: 41, pl. 23; Davies & Joubert, 1966: 15; Davies & Joubert, 1967: 121; Garrick, 1967: 8. Carcharhinus sealei: Bass et al., 1973: 70, fig. 28, pl.14; Garrick, 1982: 48, fig. 24; Compagno, 1984b: 497, fig.; Bass et al., 1986: 76, fig. 9, pl. 9.16; Compagno, 1988a: 327; Compagno et al., 1989: 68, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 120; Compagno et al., 2005: 305, fig., pl. 60; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 146. Carcharhinus humani: White & Weigmann, 2014: 72, figs. 1–6; Weigmann, 2016: 856.
South Africa voucher material: Paratype: ANSP 25838. Non-types: SAIAB [ex ORI 914] 6117, SAIAB [ex ORI E4] 6218, SAIAB 8021, SAIAB 10738, SAIAB 13023, SAIAB 201701.
South African distribution: Port Shepstone and north to the KZN border with Mozambique; south of Port Shepstone there are unconfirmed reports.
Remarks: White & Weigmann (2014) revised the dussumieri - sealei group and described C. humani as a new species. Previous accounts of this species in South African and WIO literature appeared as C. tjutjot and more recently the name C. sealei is used, but neither species occur in the WIO.
Conservation status: DD (2019).