Family : Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Order : Carcharhiniformes  (ground sharks)
Class : Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays)
Fishbase Name : Whitetip reef shark
Fish Name : Triaenodon obesus
Max size : 213 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 244); max. published weight: 18.3 kg (Ref. 4699); max. reported age: 25 years
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 1 - 330 m
Climate : tropical; 29°N - 30°S
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: Very low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (tm=5-9; tmax=25; Fec=1)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Indonesia and the Arafura Sea (Ref. 9819), north to Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to New South Wales (Australia), New Caledonia, and the Austral and Pitcairn islands; throughout Micronesia. Eastern Pacific: Cocos and Galapagos islands, Panama to Costa Rica.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. A small, slender shark with an extremely short, broad snout, oval eyes, and conspicuous white tips on the 1st dorsal (sometimes 2nd) and upper caudal fins; 2nd dorsal almost as large as 1st; no interdorsal ridge (Ref. 5578). Spiracles usually present, teeth 47-50/ 44-46, in at least 2 functional rows. Grey above, lighter below and sometimes with dark spots on sides (Ref. 5578). First dorsal-fin lobe and dorsal caudal-fin lobe with conspicuous white tips, second dorsal-fin lobe and ventral caudal-fin lobe often white-tipped (Ref. 9997).
Biology : Sluggish inhabitant of lagoons and seaward reefs where it is often found resting in caves or under coral ledges during the day (Ref. 6871, 58302), or usually on a sand patch, or in a channel (Ref. 37816). More active at night or during slack tide in areas of strong currents (Ref. 37816). Feeds on benthic animals such as fishes, octopi, spiny lobsters and crabs (Ref. 244). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Travels distances from about 0.3 to 3 km in periods up to about 1 year (Ref. 244). Rarely reported to attack humans, but is potentially dangerous especially when fish had been speared (Ref. 244). Probably fished wherever it occurs (Ref. 244). Caught by inshore longline and gillnet fisheries, and probably adversely affected by dynamite fishing (Ref.58048). Meat and liver utilized fresh for human consumption (Ref. 244). The liver of this shark has been reported as toxic (Ref. 583). One to five 60 cm young per litter (Ref. 1602)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : traumatogenic , Halstead, B.W., P.S. Auerbach and D.R. Campbell. 1990
Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V.
Main Ref : Compagno, L.J.V.. 1984. (Ref. 244)

India country information
Common Names : കളള സുരാവ്, കല്ലസ്രാവ്  , Kallasurav, White tip reef shark
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses