Whitefin Topeshark
CR

Whitefin Topeshark

Hemitriakis leucoperiptera

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitefin_topeshark

Overview

The whitefin topeshark is a houndshark of the family Triakidae, found only in the tropical waters of the Philippines between latitudes 20° N and 5° N. They inhabit the coastal areas. They can grow up to a length of 96 cm. Adolescent specimens have dark areas on their caudal fins. The reproduction of this shark is ovoviviparous.

Hemitriakis leucoperiptera faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive fishing pressure across its limited range in the western Pacific. The species is particularly vulnerable to both targeted shark fisheries and incidental capture in bottom trawl and gillnet operations. Its slow reproductive rate and late maturity make population recovery extremely difficult once numbers decline.

Threat summary

Habitat

This deepwater shark inhabits continental shelf and slope waters at depths of 50-200 meters in the western Pacific Ocean. It prefers sandy and muddy bottom substrates where it feeds on small fish and invertebrates.

Marine coastal/supratidal· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryAwareness & communicationsCompliance and enforcement

Other threatened species in TRIAKIDAE

Striped SmoothhoundCR

Striped Smoothhound

Mustelus fasciatus

Declining
VU

Andaman Smoothhound

Mustelus andamanensis

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Ocellate TopesharkVU

Ocellate Topeshark

Hemitriakis complicofasciata

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CR

Narrownose Smoothhound

Mustelus schmitti

Declining

Threatened in Philippines

Acropora hemprichiiEN

Acropora hemprichii

Declining
EN

Montipora calcarea

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VU

Copper Shark

Carcharhinus brachyurus

Declining
EN

Montipora taiwanensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Whitefin Topeshark classified as Critically Endangered?
Whitefin Topeshark is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Hemitriakis leucoperiptera faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive fishing pressure across its limited range in the western Pacific. The species is particularly vulnerable to both targeted shark fisheries and incidental capture in bottom trawl and gillnet operations. Its slow reproductive rate and late maturity make population recovery extremely difficult once numbers decline.
Where does Whitefin Topeshark live?
Whitefin Topeshark occurs in Philippines. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Whitefin Topeshark?
The main threats to Whitefin Topeshark are 5.3, 5.4, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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