Species profile
Night Shark
Carcharhinus signatus
At a glance
Night Shark (Carcharhinus signatus) is an IUCN Endangered invertebrate regulated in 2 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Listed under MSA and CITES — verify protected-species rules with the issuing agency before retaining or handling.
Notable details
- Night sharks have notably large, green-tinted eyes adapted for seeing in dim, deep water.
- They perform diel vertical migrations — moving deeper during the day and shallower at night to feed.
- They typically reach about 6.5 feet (2 meters) in length.
- Found primarily in the Atlantic, ranging from North Carolina south through Brazil.
- They feed mainly on small fishes and squid near the surface after dark.
Jurisdictions with rules for Night Shark
Protected status
- Atlantic HMS prohibited — must release unharmed.
- 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 night shark (Carcharhinus signatus) is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, found in the temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. An inhabitant of the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope, this shark most commonly occurs at depths of 50–600 m (160–1,970 ft) and conducts a diel vertical migration, spending the day in deeper water and moving into…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Night 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.