Cuban Night Sharks

[Shark Tagger]

I think we have caught quite a few of these while swordfishing... is this the true name for them?

[Mike]

Here's a pic courtesy of Captain ken... not sure on the scientifc name or anything. but the locals call them Cuban Night sharks

[RiskTaker]

Night Shark is their proper name.

There is more info and some links available from a previous post.

http://www.swordfishingcentral.com/f...ght+shark#5126.

Even though they are reported to be a good food fish, they are a protected species which means that you need to turn them lose unharmed. But with swordfish around they would be just cut rate eats anyhow.

Note: Not a good idea to lift them into the boat to get a hook out: otherwise they will be all over the place if you cannot immmediately restrain them. And they can contort enough to reach around and grab you if you only have them by a tail hold. Just my observations about most sharks in general.

[terminator]

This shark seems a 'Jaquetón sedoso' (Spanish), 'Silky Shark', or 'Carcharinhus Falciformis'. But i need more photos, and more details to be sure.

[RiskTaker]

Hola Terminator:



That photo looks like Night sharks we have also caught off the So. Florida swordfish grounds. One aspect that is tell-tale, pardon the pun, that seems unique to the Night Shark is the trailing edge of the tail. Seems to be a little ragged looking. However, those tail features are not displayed in this photo. See the photo in the link provided: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/...ight_shark.pdf

Both types of sharks are in the same Gunus so you could have a valid point. But notice the long pectoral fins on the Silky Shark from the other provided photo. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Galler...ilkyshark.html



That alone may not be so obvious from the photo so notice the color banding between the two species. The silky shark photo appears to have a distinct demarkation line above the eye; whereas the photo of the Night shark has a demarkation line below the eye. Notice a subtle shade difference through the eye area too.

In the the picture provided from Capt. Ken this shark appears to have the color demarkation below the eye with a very faint difference throughout the eye area. Given the location of the fish capture and those subtle clues without a full body pose and photo, I would be inclined to concur that it is a Night Shark. Stick a Cojiba in his mouth then: Claro que si, a Cuban Night Shark.

But one thing is agreed is that they are in the same Genus and they could be difficult to clearly distinguish without all of the clues.....

Genus Carcharhinus

Carcharhinus acronotus BLACKNOSE SHARK
Carcharhinus brachyurus BRONZE WHALER
Carcharhinus cautus NERVOUS SHARK
Carcharhinus falciformis SILKY SHARK
Carcharhinus melanopterus BLACKFIN REEF SHARK
Carcharhinus perezi CARIBBEAN REEF SHARK
Carcharhinus signatus NIGHT SHARK

See this link for further reading: http://www.elasmo-research.org/resea...cklist_res.htm

[mmafan]

Looks like a hybrid of a mako and a blue shark... coloring and shape of a Mako with the eyes and mouth of a blue... You know, not as evil looking as the short finned mako...