Zebra Shark

Theme area: Tunnel aux requins

Scientific name: Stegostoma fasciatum

Class: Chordates

Order: Vertebrates

Suborder: Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish)

Family: Ginglymostomatidae

Subfamily: Ginglymostoma

Continent: Red Sea, Indo-Pacific

Habitat: Oceans and seas

Diet: Piscivorous

Weight: 30 kg

Size: 2.5-3 m

The zebra shark is so called because in the juvenile stage its body is striped. Its head is rounded, its caudal fin very long and it has 5 to 7 gill slits on the sides behind the head. It lives on sandy bottoms, near coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific oceans. It can go up to 62 m deep but generally remains between 5 and 30 m.

BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY

This species is oviparous, the female usually lays 2 to 4 eggs. Baby zebra sharks measure 20 to 30 cm at birth.

The reproduction of the zebra shark in the aquarium has shown that the females of this species are capable of parthenogenesis: They can produce viable eggs, which give birth to females without fertilization by a male! It feeds on molluscs, small fish and crustaceans and can live for 25 years.

THREATS

The zebra shark is mainly a victim of fishing. It is fished for its meat, fins and oil and leather is even made from its skin.

PRESENTATIONS AND ENCOUNTERS

Conservation status (assessed by IUCN)

Extinct

Extinct in the wild

Critically endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Near threatened

Least concern

Insufficient data

Not evaluated

DID YOU KNOW?

Solitary animal, it is so called because in the juvenile stage its body is streaked, but once adult its stripes turn into round spots. This is why it is regularly confused with the leopard shark (Triakis semifasciatus) which is however twice as small.

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Zebra Shark

BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY

THREATS

PRESENTATIONS AND ENCOUNTERS

DID YOU KNOW?

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