copper shark copper shark bronze shark species requiem shark family member genus found temperate latitudes distributed number separate populations northeastern southwestern atlantic southern africa northwestern eastern pacific australia new_zealand scattered reports regions species found rivers shallow bays offshore waters deep females found apart males year conduct seasonal large species reaching long copper shark difficult distinguish large requiem sharks characterized narrow hook shaped upper teeth lack prominent ridge dorsal fins plain bronze coloration feeding mainly cephalopods bony fishes fishes copper shark fast swimming predator known hunt large groups utilizing numbers advantage time remain solitary south_africa species associates closely annual run involving millions southern african like requiem sharks viviparous developing embryos mainly connection formed depleted yolk sac females bear litters pups year coastal nursery areas gestation period long months extremely slow growing males females reaching maturity years age respectively species valued commercial recreational fisheries range utilized food species population size unknown species susceptible population low growth reproductive rates numbers believed declined areas copper sharks attack humans species places sixth number attacks people taxonomy range copper shark scientifically described times different earliest valid description presently considered british zoologist account eighth volume catalogue fishes earliest thought found type specimen associated actually shark shark referred older literature earlier questionable taxonomic status based solely set destroyed jaws belonged copper shark modern authors assigned species genus specific epithet derived greek short tail originated 19th century applied crews vessels pacific saw large sharks species whale species referred black tipped cocktail shark cocktail new_zealand shortened bronze cocktail originally referred stuffed specimen antarctica new_zealand lost australia later discovered bull sharks interests taxonomic stability designated long female caught new_zealand new type specimen phylogeny evolution efforts determine evolutionary relationships copper shark based morphology returned inconclusive results placed grouping placed informal transitional group contained shark reef shark nervous shark silky shark night shark study concluded closest relative copper shark spinner shark resolve wider relationships rest genus teeth copper shark recovered north_carolina dating dating california dating late pleistocene years ago distribution habitat copper shark member genus largely found temperate tropical waters temperatures widely distributed regional populations little interchange atlantic shark occurs mediterranean_sea morocco argentina south_africa separate populations records possibly gulf_of_mexico found japan excluding southern russia southern australia sydney perth occasionally north new_zealand far unconfirmed reports eastern pacific occurs northern chile peru mexico point conception california including copper shark common parts argentina south_africa australia new_zealand rare areas range ill defined confusion species copper sharks found surf zone slightly continental shelf open ocean diving depths species commonly enters shallow habitats including bays inhabits rocky areas offshore islands tolerant low changing reported lower reaches large rivers juveniles inhabit waters deep year adults tend found offshore regularly approach coast spring summer large readily observed shallow water populations copper sharks perform seasonal response temperature changes reproductive events prey availability movement patterns differ sex age adult females juveniles spend winter generally shift higher latitudes spring pregnant females moving coast birth nursery areas adult males remain year late winter spring higher latitudes time encounter mate post females individual sharks recorded traveling returning areas year year description copper shark slender streamlined body slightly arched profile head snout long pointed nostrils preceded low flaps skin round moderately large eyes equipped membranes protective mouth short subtle furrows corners contains upper tooth rows lower tooth rows teeth single narrow upper teeth distinctive hooked shape angled corners jaw lower teeth upright upper teeth adult males longer narrower curved finely adult females juveniles pairs gill slits fairly long pectoral fins large pointed shaped dorsal fin tall pointed apex concave trailing margin origin lies tips pectoral fins second dorsal fin small low positioned opposite anal fin usually ridge dorsal fins caudal fin developed lower lobe deep ventral notch near tip upper lobe species bronze olive gray metallic pink cast fin tips margins color fades quickly dull gray brown death underside white extends flanks prominent band copper shark easily mistaken large species particularly shark identified upper tooth shape absent weak ridge lack obvious fin markings reportedly reaches maximum length weight kilograms biology ecology fast active copper shark encountered pairs loosely organized schools containing hundreds individuals form reproductive purposes form response concentrations food species fall prey larger sharks known parasites copper shark include feeding copper shark feeds water column consuming cephalopods including squid octopus bony fishes including australian salmon sea fishes including sharks electric rays cephalopods fishes relatively important food sharks long young sharks consume crustaceans including mud attack marine mammals known rarely succumbed fishing nets predominant prey species south_africa southern african comprise diet winter schools copper sharks follow run gathering millions forage fish attract multitude predators including species sharks copper sharks numerous large numbers copper sharks observed hunting seemingly cooperative fashion small schooling fish tight ball shark turn mouth open feed groups larger prey pursuing sharks adopt wing formation force quarry closer shark targeting particular fish attacking turn south_africa species reportedly follows net fishing vessels life history like members family copper shark viviparous yolk sac developing embryo depleted converted connection mother delivers adult females functional right functional male bites female prelude mating mating takes place october december spring early summer sexes migrated offshore waters higher latitudes occur june january peaking october november female copper sharks use shallow habitats varying stretches open coast sheltered bays provide abundant food reduce likelihood predation larger members species known suspected nursery areas occur northern inlet bay new_zealand sharks albany gulf vincent australian sharks northwestern pacific sharks sharks rhodes greece nice france morocco mediterranean sharks northwest african sharks rio_de_janeiro brazil buenos_aires argentina southwestern atlantic sharks cove peru mexico san diego bay eastern pacific sharks sources estimate gestation period months data support interpretation month long gestation period instead females produce litters year number pups ranging averaging females california tend bear fewer young relative parts world measure long copper shark slowest growing species south_africa males reach sexual maturity long age years females mature long age years females australia mature comparable length females argentina mature slightly smaller length maximum lifespan years males years females human interactions attacks humans copper sharks attack humans species places sixth number attacks people tracking period attributed attacks species comparison great white sharks topped list attacks large powerful copper shark particularly aggressive humans presence food known harass attack spear attempt steal catches copper sharks swimmers australia new_zealand species common species commonly called bronze world fatal attacks attributed copper shark bronze include death swimmer new south wales australia death swimmer new_zealand shark attacks new_zealand attributed copper sharks witnesses attributed fatal attack september western australia copper shark problem counting attacks humans copper shark similar requiem sharks victims witnesses unlikely correctly identify type genus shark responsible attack experts trying confirm shark attacks species warn statistics number attacks requiem sharks like copper captivity like large active sharks species poorly captivity tends bump sides enclosure resulting infected fatal consequences fishing commercial fisheries copper shark exist new_zealand australia bronze fishery western_australia actually takes sharks south_africa brazil argentina mexico china contributes commercial fisheries range species caught lesser extent meat sold human consumption copper shark popular recreational new_zealand australia south_africa argentina mexico california predominantly new_zealand species frequently caught sport small summer recreational fishery northern mainly captures pregnant post females practices tag release tag release program practiced conservation assessed copper shark worldwide global population unknown long maturation time low reproductive rate species render highly susceptible iucn listed species concern australia new_zealand south_africa fisheries generally managed local copper shark population countries contained entirely respective reported catches new_zealand steadily declined peak tons tons uncertain reflects genuine decline changing fishing habits eastern pacific copper shark rare little fishery information available leading assessment catch declines shark ray species documented heavily copper shark assessed vulnerable species specific data unavailable shark populations overall region number large adults low sustain targeted fisheries 1970s current shark catch consists small juveniles additional threats species include degradation destruction coastal development pollution mortality shark nets protect beaches south_africa australia persecution fish farmers southern australia
Copper shark