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The name
bronze whaler is mistakenly used to identify many different
species of tropical whaler sharks. In Australia the
Bronze Whaler is a single species found only in cool
southern waters, from Coffs Harbour, around the southern
States, to Jurien Bay in Western Australia.
The brown to grey body colour of the Bronze Whaler
Shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus) has an obvious bronze
sheen. Many other species of sharks may also display
a bronze glow, especially in bright sunlight. The
flanks have a pale blaze from below the dorsal fin
to the tail. The margins or tips of the fins may be
dusky but they are never black or obviously patterned.
The upper teeth have a distinct outwardly hooked shape.
Adults grow to 300 cm from a size of 60 cm at birth.
Bronze Whalers are often seen close inshore feeding
on schooling fish, such as salmon, frequently within
the surf zone. They are also found around offshore
islands over deep water where they prey on squid as
well as pelagic and bottom-dwelling fish |
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