Species profile
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark
Rhizoprionodon terraenovae
At a glance
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) is an IUCN Least Concern shark or ray regulated in 8 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Bag limits are uniform at 1 per angler across the 6 regulating jurisdictions.
Confirmed by 909 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Listed under CITES — verify protected-species rules with the issuing agency before retaining or handling.
Notable details
- Reaches a maximum length of about 4 feet (1.2 m), one of the smaller Atlantic shark species.
- One of the most abundant sharks along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
- Females give birth to 4–7 live pups per litter after roughly 10–11 months of gestation.
- Named for its distinctively long, pointed snout that extends well past its small mouth.
- Sexually mature by age 2–3 and lives up to about 10 years.
Where Atlantic Sharpnose Shark are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Atlantic Sharpnose Shark
Protected status
- CITES Appendix II (Carcharhinidae — all requiem sharks, CoP19 effective Nov 2023).
Always verify protected-species rules with the issuing agency before retaining or handling.
Background
The Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) is a requiem shark in the family Carcharhinidae, found in the subtropical waters of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, between latitudes 43°N and 18°N.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Atlantic Sharpnose Shark article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.