This continental shelf species is usually found in turbid water in seagrass beds or silty sand bottoms around isolated small rock outcrops, as well as near dead coral or soft coral as deep as 200 metres (Randall and Ben-Tuvia 1983, Leis 1987, Randall and Heemstra 1991). Juveniles are common to depths of 80 m (Kailola et al. 1993). It has also been observed on artificial reefs in Hong Kong (AFCD 2001). It feeds on fish and benthic invertebrates, primarily prawns and crabs (Parrish 1987, Randall and Heemstra 1991, Salini et al. 1994, Kulbicki et al. 2005). It is thought to spawn during seasonal periods and form spawning aggregations (Shapiro 1987). Maximum total length is 47 cm and maximum weight is 1.4 kg (Moran et al. 1988). The maximum reported age for this species is 15 years (Shapiro 1987), but a study conducted in northern Oman recorded a maximum age of 39 years and total length of 48 cm (J. McIlwain unpublished data). The length and age at first sexual maturity is 22.8 cm and 2 years for males and 23.5 cm and 2 years for females, respectively (Mahmoud 2009). When applying an age at first reproduction of 2 years and longevity of 39 years, its estimated generation length is 20 years based on the following equation recommended by the IUCN Red List methods: Age at first reproduction + (Age at last reproduction -“ age at first reproduction)/2.

This reef-associated species often occur in groups around coral reefs and sometimes extends to depths in excess of 100 m. Juveniles and young adults occur in mangrove estuaries, as well as the lower reaches of freshwater streams and tidal creeks (Lieske and Myers 1994, Sommer et al. 1996, Russell et al. 2003). This nocturnal species consumes fishes and crustaceans (Anderson and Allen 2001). The maximum total length is 150 cm (Torres 1991). The natural mortality for this species is measured at 0.158 (Russell et al. 2003). In a cooler part of its range, off eastern Australia, it has been aged at up to 57 years old (Piddocke et al. 2015). Spawning occurs off Abu Dhabi from September to October, longevity is estimated to be 37 years and the mean age and size at first sexual maturity is 14 years and 56.4 cm fork length for females and 13 years and 55.8 cm for males (Grandcourt et al. 2013). When applying an age at first reproduction of 14 years and longevity of 37 years, its estimated generation length is 25.5 years based on the following equation recommended by the IUCN Red List methods: Age at first reproduction + (Age at last reproduction -“ age at first reproduction)/2.

The Sharpnose Guitarfish commonly occurs in intertidal areas, but has been recorded to depths of 119 m (Compagno and Last 1999). It attains a maximum size of at least 229 cm total length (TL) (Last et al. 2016). Size at birth is believed to be around 39 cm TL (Moore et al. 2012), but little else is known of its biology. The estimation of generation length is from the maximum age (19 years) and age at maturity (7 years) taken from the growth curve provided by White et al. (2014) for the Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus), which gives an estimated generation length of 13 years.

This species occurs mainly near the coast in shallow bays and off river mouths (Last et al. 2016). Maximum size is unknown but it attains at least 200 cm total length (TL) with males mature at about 130 cm TL (Last et al. 2016). Size at birth is unknown, although the closely related R. djiddensis is born at about 60 cm total length (TL). Maximum age for Rhynchobatus spp. in Australia is 5 years (males) and 12 years (females), but these data were not from the largest individuals (White et al. 2014) and are not reliable for the estimation of generation length. This is therefore estimated from the maximum age (19 years) and age at maturity (7 years) taken from the growth curve provided by White et al. (2014) for the Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus), which gives an estimated generation length of 13 years.

This species occurs in inshore and offshore waters over soft substrates to depths of 60 m or more (Last et al. 2016), but can also be associated with coral reefs. It attains a maximum size of about 300 cm total length (TL) with males mature at about 124 cm TL (Last et al. 2016). Size at birth is unknown, although the closely related R. djiddensis is born at about 60 cm TL. Maximum age for Rhynchobatus spp. in Australia is 5 years (males) and 12 years (females), but these data were not from the largest individuals (White et al. 2014) and are not reliable for the estimation of generation length. This is therefore estimated from the maximum age (19 years) and age at maturity (7 years) taken from the growth curve provided by White et al. (2014) for the Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus), which gives an estimated generation length of 13 years.

The Sharptooth Lemon Shark occurs in shallow inshore and offshore waters near the bottom and is often found on and around coral reefs and on sandy plateaus near coral at depths to at least 30 m (Stevens 1984, Compagno 1998). It is also known to occur around and within the mangrove forests in certain areas of the UAE (Abu Dhabi) and Sudan (Suakin), which may be used as nursery grounds (Bonfil 2003, R. W. Jabado pers. comm. 06/02/2017). The maximum size reported is 340 cm total length (TL) with size at maturity around 220 cm TL for males and females (Compagno et al. 2005). The gestation period is recorded at 10 to 11 months, a reproductive periodicity of two years with a litter size average of 9.3 (6 to 12) and size at birth of 60 cm TL. Growth rates are reported at 12.5 to 15.5 cm per year. The generation length is suspected to be around 16.5 years, similar to that of the Lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris), which reaches a similar maximum size (Brown and Gruber 1988).

The Whitespotted Wedgefish inhabits coastal and continental shelf waters to depths of 70 m, but typically occurs in depths shallower than 35 m. It attains a maximum size of about 310 cm total length (TL), although it is typically smaller at around 175 cm TL, with males mature at about 150 cm TL (Last et al. 2016). Size at birth is about 60 cm TL. Maximum age for Rhynchobatus spp. in Australia is 5 years (males) and 12 years (females), but these data were not from the largest individuals (White et al. 2014) and are not reliable for the estimation of generation length. This is therefore estimated from the maximum age (19 years) and age at maturity (7 years) taken from the growth curve provided by White et al. (2014) for the Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus), which gives an estimated generation length of 13 years.

The Smooth Hammerhead is a coastal-pelagic and semi-oceanic species that occurs on the continental shelf, to at least 200 m depth, with large individuals often found over deep reefs on the edge of the shelf (Smale 1991, Ebert et al. 2013). Despite its widespread occurrence, there are only limited published biological data on this species. It attains a maximum size of 370-400 cm total length (TL) (Ebert et al. 2013, Weigmann 2016). Stevens (1984) reported that off the east coast of Australia males mature at about 250-260 cm TL and females at about 265 cm TL with parturition and ovulation occurring between January and March. The gestation period off eastern Australia would appear to be 10-11 months. Castro and Mejuto (1995) reported 21 gravid females with a mean litter size of 33.5 from the waters of western Africa. Off eastern Australia, Stevens (1975) reported litter sizes between 20-49 (mean 32). The sex ratio of embryos is 1:1 (Stevens 1984, Castro and Mejuto 1995). Compagno (1984) and Compagno et al. (2005) gave the size at birth as 50-61 cm. Smale (1991) and Doño (2008) reported juveniles with open umbilical scars from South Africa at sizes between 59 and 63 cm, and from Uruguay between 49 and 55 cm TL, respectively. Although maximum age has yet to be determined for this species, it is thought that the lifespan of the Smooth Hammerhead may be 20 years or longer (FLMNH 2008). Generation length is estimated at 24 years based on that for the Scalloped Hammerhead (S. lewini), which reaches a similar size (Drew et al. 2015).

The Great Hammerhead is a coastal-pelagic and semi-oceanic tropical hammerhead shark occurring close inshore and well offshore, over continental shelves, island terraces, and in passes and lagoons of coral atolls, as well as over deep water near land, at depths ranging from near-surface to over 80 m (Compagno et al. 2005). The maximum total size is 550-610 cm total length (TL) (Weigmann 2016), though 400 cm TL is more common for a mature adult (Compagno et al. 2005, Last and Stevens 1994). Males mature at about 225 to 269 cm TL, and reach at least 341 cm TL, and females mature at about 225 to 300 cm TL and reach 482 to 549 cm TL (Compagno et al. 2005) In the UAE the largest recorded specimen was 3.82 m (Jabado et al. 2016 biological data sharks uae paper). The Great Hammerhead is viviparous, with a yolk-sac placenta. Litter size ranges from 6 to 42 pups after 11 months' gestation (Ebert et al. 2013). Size at birth is 50 to 70 cm TL with females breeding once every two years (Stevens and Lyle 1989). Generation length is estimated at 24-25 years based on Piercy et al. (2010) and Harry et al. (2011).

The Scalloped Hammerhead is a coastal and semi-oceanic pelagic shark, found over continental and insular shelves and in deep water ranging from intertidal areas and the surface to at least 1,000 m depth (Compagno et al. 2005). Horizontal migration is observed from inshore bays to a pelagic habitat as this species grows. It has been observed to be highly faithful to particular diurnal core areas (Holland et al. 1993) and sometimes form large schools which migrate to higher latitudes in summer (Stevens and Lyle 1989). This species segregates by sex, with females migrating offshore earlier and at smaller sizes than males. Adults spend most of the time offshore in midwater and females migrate to the coastal areas to have their pups (Bass et al. 1975, Klimley and Nelson 1984, Branstetter 1987, Klimley 1987, Chen et al. 1988, Stevens and Lyle 1989). Nursery areas are found in shallow inshore waters, while the adults are found offshore (Compagno 1984, Holland et al. 1993, Kotas et al. 1995, Lessa et al. 1998). Neonates and juveniles are known to shoal in confined coastal pupping areas for up to two years before moving out to adult habitat (Holland et al. 1993). The species is viviparous with a yolk-sac placenta. Only the right ovary is functional. In Taiwanese (POC) waters, ovum development takes approximately 10 months and ova reach a maximum diameter of 40-45 mm. The number of oocytes in the ovarium can be as many as 40-50 per female (Chen et al. 1988). The gestation period is around 9-12 months, with birth in spring and summer. The average number of embryos in the uterus ranges from 12-41 and females pup every year. Newborn size ranges from 31-57 cm (Castro 1983, Compagno 1984, Branstetter 1987, Chen et al. 1988, Stevens and Lyle 1989, Chen et al. 1990, Oliveira et al. 1991, 1997, Amorim et al. 1994, White et al. 2008). Maximum size is reported by several studies, 370-420 cm total length (TL) (Ebert et al. 2013) and ranged from 219-340 cm TL for males and 296-346 cm TL for females (Bass et al. 1975b, Schwartz 1983, Klimley and Nelson 1984, Stevens 1984, Branstetter 1987, Chen et al. 1988, Stevens and Lyle 1989, Chen et al. 1990). Males mature between 140-198 cm TL and females at around 200-250 cm TL (Compagno 1984b, Branstetter 1987, Chen et al. 1990, Carrera and Martinez 2007, White et al. 2008). Branstetter's (1987) growth study in the Gulf of Mexico found asymptotic length for both sexes of 329 cm TL and 253 cm fork length (FL), with an index of growth rate of k = 0.073 y^-1. Piercy et al.'s (2007) more recent study used FL rather than TL and suggested faster growth, with asymptotic length of 214.8 cm FL for males and 233.1 cm FL for females, with an index growth rate of k=0.13 year^-1 for males and k=0.09 year^-1 for females. It is unclear whether these differences are related to sample size, methodology or changes resulting from a density-dependent compensatory response to population depletion. The nearest studies on life history traits of this species have been undertaken in the Eastern Indian Ocean. White et al. (2008) estimated females and males to mature at 228.5 cm TL and 175.6 cm TL, respectively. Age at maturity was estimated at 13.2 for females and 8.9 years for males (Drew et al. 2015). Based on these data, generation length was estimated at 24 years.