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Cartilaginous Fishes: Sharks & Rays: Though there are several
dozen chondrichthyous fishes recorded from the larger Indonesian region,
most folks will only encounter the few listed below, and even these only
occasionally. Sharks and rays are not only infrequent, skittish visitors
to nearshore reefs, but are heavily fished.
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Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard 1824), the Blacktip
Reef Shark. Indo-West to Central Pacific, including the Red Sea. To
six feet in length. Litters of 2 to 5 pups. Offered in the aquarium
trade regrettably all too often. Requires very large systems. | 
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Triaenodon obesus (Ruppell 1837), the Whitetip Reef Shark.
Indo-Pacific, including Red Sea and eastern Pacific. Here sitting
under a ledge off Maui in the Hawaiian Islands, and below, cruising
over the reef in Fiji. To about six feet in length. Only dangerous
if molested. A typical view of one sitting on the bottom and another
up and about. |  
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Dasyatis kuhlii (Muller & Henle 1841), Kuhl's or the
Blue-Spotted Stingray. Indo-West Pacific, including the Red Sea. To
twenty eight inches in width. Reef associated. Feeds on crustaceans
(shrimps and crabs mainly). Venomous. Here in N. Sulawesi (Lembeh
Strait). |  
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