Mexico country information

Common names: Cazón de ley, Cazón de ley
Occurrence: native
Salinity: brackish
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: commercial | Ref: Anonymous, 1994
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: no regulations | Ref: Anonymous, 1994
Uses: no uses
Comments: Of secondary importance to Mexican shark fisheries; a very common catch in Veracruz, Campeche and Yucatan (mostly juveniles and pre-adults); taken in smaller quantities in Quintana Roo (mostly pre-adults and adults) and Tamaulipas; probably caught in Tabasco (Ref. 13186). Marketed fresh (fillet), salt-dried, or as fish meal, liver oil; also for its skin and fins, and teeth for ornamental use (Ref. 26550).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Compagno, L.J.V., 1984
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Requin aiguille gussi, Cazón picudo atlántico, White shark, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) > Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Etymology: Rhizoprionodon: rhiza (Gr.), root; prion (Gr.) saw; odon (Gr.), tooth, referring to teeth with serrated (saw-like) bases, or roots [replacement name for Rhizoprion Ogilby 1915, preoccupied by Rhizoprion Jourdan 1861 in mammals]. (See ETYFish); terraenovae: terra (L.), earth or land; novus (L.), new, i.e., Newfoundland, Canada, where Richardson erroneously thought it occurred. (See ETYFish).
More on author: Richardson.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 0 - 280 m (Ref. 26938), usually 0 - 10 m (Ref. 55195). Subtropical; 43°N - 25°S, 100°W - 32°W (Ref. 55195)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Atlantic: New Brunswick, Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Southwest Atlantic: coasts of Brazil.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 87.5, range 85 - 90 cm
Max length : 110 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 37512); 110.0 cm TL (female); common length : 70.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 37512); max. published weight: 7.3 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 10 years (Ref. 6140)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Small, generally gray, streamlined shark, with long pointed snout. Posterior margin of anal fin straight or slightly concave. Second dorsal fin origin well behind anal fin origin (Ref. 26938).

Reaches at least 103 cm TL (Ref. 244). Abundant in the continental shelves, from the intertidal to deeper waters. Often occurs close to the surf zone off sandy beaches, and also enclosed bays, sounds, and harbors, in estuaries and river mouths. Feeds on small bony fishes, shrimps, crabs, segmented worms and mollusks (gastropod feet). Viviparous, with 1 to 7 young in a litter (Ref. 27549). Size at birth about 29 to 37 cm. Utilized for human consumption. Minimum depth from Ref. 055195.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205). Viviparous, placental (Ref. 50449). 1 to 7 young per litter. Larger females carry more young. Size at birth 29-37 cm. Gestation period is 10 to 11 months in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Sex ratio of near term fetuses is 1:1 (Ref. 244).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/2):251-655. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 244)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 20 June 2019

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Appendix II: International trade monitored

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes

FAO(Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

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Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 23.4 - 28, mean 27 (based on 1016 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5078 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00457 (0.00277 - 0.00754), b=3.01 (2.87 - 3.15), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.4 ±0.5 se; based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (K=0.19-0.45(?); tmax=10; tm=4; Fec 1-7).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (50 of 100).

Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649): Very high vulnerability (85 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Rhizoprionodon terraenovae (Richardson, 1836)