 Dusky Shark (Carcharhinus obscurus)
An impressive, streamlined, rapid shark that can grow to 4.0 metres in length - huge by anybody's standards.
The Duskies which we see -sometimes in huge numbers of up to 40 animals at a time - are more normally around 2.50 metres. They are very similar to the Blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus) in general form as well as in their super fast swimming. The snout is almost as long as the Blacktip but is rounded as opposed to the Blacktip's pointed snout. It has a ghost of a white strip down it's flank compared to the Blacktip's silver blaze on it's sides. It lacks the black tips to it's fins though these are not nearly so pronounced in the Blacktip as some sources of information would have us believe.
Where to see them
Aliwal Shoal At certain times of the year, we see huge numbers of Dusky sharks on our Tiger shark dives. When they are around, around 20 Duskies would be normal but up to 40 possible. They move around the divers at very high speed but show no interest at all in divers. They pass very close to divers but will swerve instantaneously or accelerate away faster than any Italian sportscar should a diver try to touch them.
Ponta do Ouro Yet another species which we see on Pinnacles from October - May though only individuals, never the huge groups which we see at Aliwal Shoal.
|
