LibGuides: Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata) and Spotted Gully Shark (T. megalopterus) Fact Sheet: Summary

Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata) and Spotted Gully Shark (T. megalopterus) Fact Sheet

Leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata, at Africa Rocks at the San Diego Zoo

Leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata)

Taxonomy	Physical Characteristics
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes - cartilaginous fishes (sharks, rays, skates, and chimeras) Subclass: Elasmobranchii - elasmobranchs (sharks, rays, skates) Order: Carcharhiniformes - ground sharks Family: Triakidae - houndsharks, smoothhound sharks, smooth dogfish sharks, gummy sharks, tope sharks, whiskery sharks Genus: Triakis - leopard and houndsharks Species: Triakis semifasciata - leopard shark Species: Triakis megalopterus - spotted gully shark, sharptooth houndshark	Maximum Total Length, TL Measured as snout to tip of the tail. Leopard shark, males: 150 cm (59 in) Leopard shark, females: ~180 cm (71 in) Spotted gully shark, male: 152 cm (60 in) Spotted gully shark, female: 207 cm (81 in) Coloration Leopard shark: silvery gray to bronzy gray-brown; above, large, dark "saddles" interspaced with spots; underside, pale or tan. Spotted gully shark: above, gray-bronze; underside, white or very pale; young with no or few spots
Distribution & Status	Behavior & Ecology
Range Leopard shark: west coast of North America, from Oregon, USA, to Mazatlan, Mexico Spotted gully shark: southern Africa; southern Angola to South Africa Habitat Leopard shark: bays, estuaries, and sloughs; coastal, nearshore waters, including sandy shores, rocky reefs, and kelp forests; coastal islands Spotted gully shark: sandy shores, rocky reefs, and crevices in bays IUCN Status Leopard shark: Least Concern (2014 assessment) Spotted gully shark: Least Concern (2019 assessment) CITES Appendix Leopard shark: Not listed Spotted gully shark: Not listed Populations in the Wild Leopard shark: no population estimates available; population trend: unknown; fishing regulations appear to be protecting this species—recreational fishing stable Spotted gully shark: no population estimates available; population trend: decreasing	Locomotion Both species have slender, flexible bodies. Body and wide fins allow them to make tight turns. Activity Cycle Both species more active at night. Social Groups Both species form mostly-female aggregations during summer. Leopards sharks may also form mixed species aggregations with other sharks and rays. Diet Leopard shark: invertebrates (clams, squid, crabs, innkeeper worms, etc.), small bony fishes, eggs of fish and squid, small sharks and rays Spotted gully shark: crabs, bony fishes, squid and octopus Predators Leopard shark: California sea lion, sevengill shark, humans; Caspian terns and Great Blue Herons observed preying on young sharks Spotted gully shark: sevengill shark, humans; possibly other sharks
Reproduction & Development	Species Highlights
Sexual Maturity Females: 105-135 cm (3.4-4.4 ft) TL (about 10-13 years old) Males: 100-105 cm (3.3-3.4 ft) TL (about 7-13 years old) Gestation Leopard shark: 10-12 months Spotted gully shark: 19-21 months Litter Size Leopard shark: 6-37 Spotted gully shark: 8-10, on average (range: 5-15) Interbirth Interval Leopard shark: females breed annually Spotted gully shark: females breed every 2-3 years Birth Size Leopard shark: 17-23 cm (7-9 in) TL Spotted gully shark: 40-45 cm (16-18 in) TL	Leopard shark Well-adapted to fluctuating water temperatures and poorly oxygenated waters Aggregating females spend a lot of time in warm, shallow water during summer; likely gain a reproductive benefit Some individuals return to the same aggregation site in successive summers Use their sense of smell to navigate in the open ocean Uses its snout to extract burrowing animals (clams, inkeeper worms) from mudflats Harmful contaminants found in embryos; passed from mother to pups Mainly fished by recreational anglers in California; a well-regulated fishery Popular species for sale in the aquarium trade In archeology, leopard shark remains widely found in Native American middens in California Spotted gully shark Endemic to southern Africa Behavior not well-known Teeth change shape as they grow and develop Long gestation period—19-21 months; give birth to few young Must grow to a large size to reach sexual maturity, even compared to similar species Evidence of some genetic isolation due to large-scale sea level lowering during the Pleistocene Exploited by unregulated fisheries

About This Fact Sheet

How to cite: Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata) and Spotted Gully Shark (T. megalopterus) Fact Sheet. c2017-2020. San Diego (CA): San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance; [accessed YYYY Mmm dd]. http://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/ triakissharks.
(note: replace YYYY Mmm dd with date accessed, e.g., 2015 Sep 10)

Disclaimer: Although San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance makes every attempt to provide accurate information, some of the facts provided may become outdated or replaced by new research findings. Questions and comments may be addressed to library@sdzwa.org.

Abbreviations used in this fact sheet:
Total Length (TL): length from the tip of a fish's snout to the tip of its longer tail lobe

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Dr. Andrew P. Nosal, PhD, for providing expert content review of this fact sheet.

Dr. Nosal completed his PhD on leopard shark movement ecology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 2013. This research provided many insights into the behavior, habitat preferences, diet, physiology, and genetic relationships of leopard sharks near La Jolla, California.

As of 2017, Dr. Nosal is Professor at University of San Diego and concurrently conducts research at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. This research focuses on the movement ecology of sharks and rays in southern California and Baja California. Dr. Nosal also holds interests in science communication and public attitudes towards sharks. He is a member of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group for the Northeast Pacific Region. Read more at andrewnosal.com.

Thank you to Melissa Torres, who shared her knowledge of leopard shark husbandry for the Managed Care section of this fact sheet.

Ms. Torres, Dive Program Coordinator and Aquarist at Birch Aquarium at Scripps, is the lead aquarist of ElasmoBeach, an exhibit that houses half of Birch Aquarium's leopard shark population. Ms. Torres leads animal care efforts for these leopard sharks, including health physicals and nutrition programs. She also coordinates and participates in diving activities to monitor the sharks’ behavior, health, and exhibit environment.

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