Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) - Marine Life - Liveaboard Diving

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

The Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) is also known by names which include Silvertip Shark, Oceanic White-tipped Whaler, Brown Milbert's Sandbar Shark, Brown Shark, Lesser White Shark, & Nigano Shark. It's a medium-size requiem shark that swims slowly in open ocean, near the surface. It is regarded as a potential threat to humans, especially in cases of shipwrecks.

Oceanic Whitetip Shark Carcharhinus longimanus
Scientific Rank
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata (Chordates)
Class:	Chondrichthyes: Cartilaginous fish
Order:	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
Family:	Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Genus:	Carcharhinus (Carcharhinus)
Species:	Carcharhinus longimanus
Size
Average Size:	3 metres

The Oceanic Whitetip Shark is a very special species, and an exciting one for scuba divers to encounter. It is normally found in the upper 150m of deep temperate oceans. It generally swims slowly and alone. They are not very large, growing to 2 metres long on average.

Although Whitetips are known to attack humans, the main threat is the other way around. They are fished or caught as bycatch and their large fins are considered valuable in Asian markets. In addition, their meat and oil is used. As for attacks on humans, this is hardly ever in cases on divers or snorkellers, and is usually spear fishermen, sometimes surfers, and there are reports that Whitetips are responsible for the deaths of shipwreck survivors stranded at sea.