Common Blacktip Shark
Carcharias (Prionodon) limbatus Valenciennes in M̹ller & Henle, 1839: 49, pl. 19 (teeth). Syntypes (2): only 1 syntype still in existence; MNHN 0000-3468 (mounted skin). Type locality: Martinique, Lesser Antilles, Western Atlantic.
Local synonymy: Carcharinus limbatus: Robinson & Dunn, 1923: 63; Barnard, 1925: 26; Smith, 1952b: 858; Smith, 1952c: 760; Smith, 1953e: 6, fig. 3; Smith, 1953: 40, pl. 104; Davies, 1963: 24; Davies, 1964: 194, pls. 19–20, 43, 59. (?) Eulamia limbatus: von Bonde, 1934: 14. Galeolamna limbata: Fowler, 1956: 23, fig. 9. Carcharhinus limbatus: D’Aubrey, 1964a: 42, pl. 24; Smith, 1965: 40, fig. 5; Davies & Joubert, 1966: 15; Davies & Joubert, 1967: 121; Garrick, 1967: 89; Bass et al., 1973: 46, fig. 17; Garrick, 1982: 28, figs. 16–18; Compagno, 1984b: 481, fig.; Bass et al., 1986: 73, fig. 9.10, pl. 2; Cliff & Wilson, 1986: 18; Compagno, 1988a: 7; Compagno et al., 1989: 66, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 120; Heemstra & Heemstra, 2004: 58; Compagno et al., 2005: 300, fig., pl. 57; Ebert et al., 2013a: 469, fig., pl. 66; Mann, 2013: 35; NPOA, 2013: 41; da Silva et al., 2015: 246; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 146; Weigmann, 2016: 857. (non) Eulamia limbatus: Fowler, 1935: 362 (= C. humani). (non) Eulamia limbata: Smith, 1949a: 40, fig. 5 (= C. obscurus). (non) Carcharhinus limbatus: Doyle, 1964: 18, pl. (= C. brachyurus).
South Africa voucher material: SAIAB 6165 [ex ORI 2388], SAIAB 6166 [ex ORI 1079], SAIAB 6220 [ex ORI 1996], SAIAB 10563, SAIAB 75558, SAIAB 75559, SAIAB 75560, SAIAB 75561.
South African distribution: East London (EC) to the KZN border with Mozambique, and rarely to Cape Point (WC). There is a record of this species from the “vicinity” of Cape Town in December 1961 (Bass et al., 1973).
Remarks:A very common inshore species in KZN waters.The taxonomic history is convoluted due to misidentification with other “blacktip” shark species in the area, particularly C. brevipinna, young C. obscurus, and C. sorrah.
Conservation status: NT (2009).