#river sharks

[wachinyeya]

Rare and threatened shark found in the Roper River for the first time

Charles Darwin University (CDU) researchers and First Nations Yugul Mangi Rangers have discovered a new population of a rare and threatened

Charles Darwin University (CDU) researchers and First Nations Yugul Mangi Rangers have discovered a new population of a rare and threatened shark species in the Northern Territory's Roper River.

The Speartooth Shark or Glyphis glyphis is a rare species of river shark that inhabits only a small number of tropical rivers and adjacent marine waters in northern Australia and southern Papua New Guinea.

The species is currently listed as Critically Endangered under Australia's national environmental legislation, with a very small population and a restricted geographic range.

[sharkfactoftheday]

The Ganges shark has a dangerous reputation, likely due to confusion with the bull shark, which is known to inhabit the same areas. The teeth of the Ganges shark are better designed for impaling fish then taking apart mammalian prey, like the teeth of the bull shark.

[sharkfactoftheday]

The speartooth shark gets its name from the teeth at the front of its lower jaw. The rest of its lower teeth are slender and unserrated, while its upper teeth are more triangular and serrated.

[sharkfactoftheday]

Speartooth sharks have only been found in a few locations in northern Australia, as well as Papua New Guinea, with possible unconfirmed sightings in western Australia.

[sharkfactoftheday]

so there arent any fresh water sharks, but i read somewhere that bull sharks (i think??) can live in brackish water. are there any other types of sharks that can do so?

Yes, bull sharks have the ability to adapt to a wide range of salinities, allowing them to gradually adjust to different waters- meaning they actually can live in freshwater! They are often sighted in Lake Nicaragua, and far from the ocean in rivers like the Amazon or the Mississippi. 

There is also a genus of requiem sharks (Glyphis) known as river sharks, which are not very well-documented. At least six species are known, but only three have been described- the Ganges shark, the speartooth shark, and the Irrawaddy river shark. They are all known to inhabit freshwater; whether they can tolerate different salinities (brackish / marine) may vary between species and has yet to be determined conclusively.

[sharkfactoftheday]

The global population of the speartooth shark has been estimated to be at most 2,500 mature individuals.

[j4c0b-the-wr3tch3d]

actual art today! here i made my first fursona with help from a base on amino <3

for anyone freaking out bc i'm a furry: calm down i've been a furry for 4 years. not that big a deal

made her a northern river shark because they're critically endangered and i wanna spread awareness of their status :(

base below the cut if anyone wants it too!

is so pretty tho..... lovely.......

[sharkfactoftheday]

The Borneo river shark and Irrawaddy river shark are both actually the same species as the Ganges shark, based on genetic evidence.