Tope Shark

Galeorhinus galeus

Tope Shark

Galeorhinus galeus

Other Common Names
School shark, soupfin shark, snapper shark

Open Sea

Other Common Names

School shark, soupfin shark, snapper shark

At the Aquarium

Open Sea

Appearance

The tope shark is a large, slender shark with a long, pointed snout and oval eyes. Its large mouth has small triangular blade-like teeth. When observed from the bottom the mouth is arched.

Tope sharks range in color from bluish to dusky gray above, and white below. Young tope sharks may have black markings on their fins.

The first dorsal fin is much larger than the second. The second dorsal fin is about the same size as the anal fin which is almost directly above it. The end of the caudal fin is large and asymmetrical.

Tope sharks grow up to 6 ½ feet in total length with females being typically larger than males.

Habitat

Cold to warm temperate waters on continental and insular shelves and upper to mid slopes from shallow inshore to offshore depths of more than 800 m.

Diet

Bony fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans.

Life History

Tope sharks sometimes move from shallow waters at night to deep water during the day. This species is highly migratory and often moves in small schools made up of individuals of the same sex and age.

Females are pregnant for about 12 months before giving birth to 6 to 52 live young. Litter size increases with the size of the mother. Birth usually occurs in spring and early summer. The pups develop inside eggs within the mother’s body and are born as fully-formed young. At birth, pups range in size from 26 to 40 cm. Females give birth in shallow, protected bays and estuaries where the young can remain for up to two years.

Female tope sharks mature slowly and don’t reach maturity until they are 10 to 15 years old. Males reach maturity at 8 to 13 years old. Females may only reproduce every three years.

The maximum age of tope sharks is estimated to be 40 to 60 years.

IUCN Status

Critically Endangered

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Tope sharks have a long history and ongoing capture in industrial, small-scale and recreational fisheries. It is generally caught for its meat and fins. Due low biological productivity with a late-age-at-maturity and overharvesting and bycatch, tope shark populations have dramatically decreased over the past three generations. The global population of tope sharks is estimated to have reduced by 88% over the past 80 years and is considered critically endangered.

Tope sharks are important to marine ecosystems as they help maintain biodiversity and balance prey populations.

Widely distributed in most oceans including the Northeast, Eastern Central, Southwest and Southeast Atlantic Ocean; the Southwest, Southeast, Western Central, Eastern Central, and Northeast Pacific Ocean; the Mediterranean Sea, and the Eastern Indian Ocean.

Tope sharks can be found in the waters off the coast of Oregon, but their population has declined due to overfishing and bycatch.

The tope shark’s upper jaw has 30 to 41 teeth while the lower jaw has 31 to 46 teeth.

Tope sharks are considered harmless to humans and only cause injuries when provoked.

Citations & Other Resources

Walker, T.I., C.L. Rigby, N. Pacoureau, J.R. Ellis, D.W. Kulka, G.E. Chiaramonte and K. Herman. 2020. Galeorhinus galeus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020.
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. N.d. Soupfin. https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/galeorhinus-galeus#desc-range
Helfman, G., and G.H. Burgess. 2014. Sharks: The Animal Answer Guide (1st ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.
Ebert, D. A., and M. Dando. 2020. Field Guide to Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras of Europe and the Mediterranean. (1st ed.). Princeton University Press.
Ebert, D. A., M. Dando, and S. Fowler. 2021. A Pocket Guide to Sharks of the World : Second Edition. (1st ed.). Princeton University Press.

Tope Shark

Tope Shark

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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