English Name: Sicklefin Lemon Shark
Local Name: Falhu Femunu
Size: Max. around 3.2 m
Family: CARCHARHINIDAE
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Distinctive Characters: A large elongated shark that can reach lengths of up to 3 meters, Sicklefin Lemons are identified by their tan color (hence the name), two rather large and nearly equal sickle-shaped dorsal fins, sickle-shaped pectoral fins, small eyes and a distinctive black spot on the tip of their snout. On Shark Reef, they are frequently confused with the Tawny Nurse Sharks from which they however differ by their continuously open, tooth-studded mouth and by having a proper “sharky” tail.
Colour: Round nose, two plain grey dorsal fins (back fins), grey pectoral fins (side fins) and tail fin
Habitat and Biology: Widely distributed in the tropical waters of the indo-pecific, previously recorded from the Maldives by Compagno in Fischer and Bianchi (1984). This species appears to be widespread, but uncommon in the Maldives. One of its Maldivian names (falhu femunu, shallow lagoon Tiger Shark) reflects both its sometimes shallow habitat and its potentially dangerous nature.
Distribution: Indo-pacific.
Remarks: It is possible that some posterior lateral teeth were removed during the cleaning of these jaws. The 249cm TL female listed in Table 9 was caught by dropline just outside north An Atoll on September 15, 1992. It contained ten embryos of 58 to 63cm TL.