The Milk Shark is a common continental shelf species that mostly inhabits muddy waters in coastal areas to about 50 m depth (Weigmann 2016). Across its range, it is reported to reach a maximum size of 178 cm, however, in the Arabian Seas region, the largest specimen recorded is 98 cm TL (Jabado et al. 2015). Females reach maturity between 59.7-74 cm TL and males between 60-76.5 cm TL (Henderson et al. 2006, Moore et al. 2012, Jabado et al. 2015, Shaaban et al. 2018, Sen et al. 2018). Off northwest India, it reaches maturity at the end of its second year and is a moderately fast-growing species of shark (Sen et al. 2018). Its natural mortality rate off northwest India was estimated as 0.61 year^-1 (Sen et al. 2017). It has a very productive life history being born at around 35-37 cm TL, maturing at young ages (2-3 years), producing 2-8 young every year and living up to 10 years (Henderson et al. 2006, Kizhakudan et al. 2015). Generation length is estimated at 5.25 years (Compagno 1984, Last and Stevens 1994).

The Tawny Nurse Shark occurs on or near coral reefs, particularly in crevices and caves, and seagrass lagoonal habitat at depths of less than 70 m. The species reaches a maximum length of at least 320 cm total length (TL), with males maturing at 250 cm TL and females at 230-290 cm TL. This species is ovoviviparous (aplacental viviparity), giving birth to 1-4 pups per litter (Teshima et al. 1995, Compagno 2001), and size at birth is 40-80 cm TL. Generation length is estimated at 30 years based on age data from Ginglymostoma cirratum (Carrier and Luer 1990).

This ray is not known to penetrate the epipelagic zone. Mating and birthing occur in shallow water, and juveniles remain in these areas. The Longhorned Pygmy Devil Ray reaches a maximum size of approximately 100 cm disc width (DW). The neotype for this species, a male of 96.9 cm DW, was sexually mature (Notarbartolo-Di-Sciara 1987). These rays are ovoviviparous (uterine viviparity), usually producing one offspring per litter. Intrinsically, Manta and Mobula rays have among the lowest productivity of any chondrichthyan (Pardo et al. 2016). As there is not enough data to estimate an exact generation length for this species, an approximate, suspected generation length is used. A midway point of 7.5 years between a very conservative low of five years, and the larger Spinetail Devil Ray's 10-year generation length is suspected to be the approximate generation length for the Longhorned Pygmy Devil Ray until more accurate information becomes available (Cuevas-Zimbron et al. 2013).

The Sliteye Shark is a small species that occurs near the bottom on continental and insular shelves to depths of 100 m (Jabado and Ebert 2015). The young are born at 40 to 45 cm, and males mature around 67 cm TL (Jabado et al. 2016), and grow to a maximum of 95 cm (Anderson and Ahmed 1993). It reproduces annually usually with a litter size of 2-4. Ageing work in Australia has demonstrated that it grows quickly, reaching maturity at 1.5 to 2 years of age, with a female maximum age of ~9 years (Gutteridge et al. 2013). Its generation length is estimated to be 5.15 years.

This species is a sluggish inshore bottom dweller found on sandy and muddy bottoms, on rocks and in coral lagoons at depths from 5 to 100 m (Weigmann 2016). It is oviparous and deposits eggs in small oval egg cases on the sea floor. The maximum size is at least 77 cm total length (TL). Free-living individuals have been found at sizes of at least 12.2 cm, and size at hatching uncertain. Males mature between 45 and 55 cm TL. The species feeds mainly on small fish, shrimps, worms, molluscs and crabs. Age data are not available, but generation length is estimated as 9 years using data from the similar-sized White-spotted Bambooshark (C. plagiosum) (Chen et al. 2007).

The Hardnose Shark is a small species of carcharhinid that occurs in inshore and offshore waters to depths of 170 m (Ebert et al. 2013). The species reaches a maximum size of 99 cm total length (TL) in the region (Jabado et al. 2015, Raje et al. 2015). Young are born at a relatively large size (47-49 cm TL), with females maturing at 81 cm TL and males at 75 cm TL (Jabado et al. 2015). Mature females probably have a two-year reproductive cycle, with only 2-3 pups produced per litter (Henderson et al. 2004, Jabado et al. 2016). Smart et al. (2013) reported in Australian waters that maximum age was about 12 years with maturity around 4 years. This suggests a generation length of 8 years. Based on these life history parameters it is likely to have a much lower level of productivity than other small species of carcharhinid sharks (e.g., Rhizoprionodon spp.) and so is more susceptible to fishing pressure.

The Silky Shark is a circumtropical oceanic and coastal-pelagic species, most often found near the edge of continental and insular shelves at depths of 200 m or more in the epipelagic zone. It is often associated with islands, insular slopes and deepwater reefs preferring warmer waters (about 23'°C) although it also occurs from the surface to a depth of at least 500 m offshore (Last and Stevens 2009). Smaller sharks are often found in coastal nurseries and adults further offshore over deeper water. In pelagic habitats, the Silky Shark is often associated with drifting materials on the surface (Filmalter et al. 2013). Life history parameters of this species vary considerably among regions (Clarke et al. 2015a). The maximum size varies from 229-371 cm total length (TL) with a size at maturity from 180-230 cm TL for males and 180-246 cm TL for females (Clarke et al. 2015). Age at maturity ranges from 5-13 years for males and 6-15 years for females with maximum ages of 8-28.6 years for males and 11-35.8 years for females. The Silky Shark gives birth to live young, averaging 5-7 pups per litter with a range of 2-18 pups per litter (Clarke et al. 2015a). Size at birth ranges from 65-81 cm TL and the gestation period ranges from 9-12 months depending on location and study (Clarke et al. 2015). Anderson and Ahmed (1993) report juveniles of 56-63 cm TL captured off the Maldives. Fecundity increases with increasing size of females, and females give birth every 1-2 years (Clarke et al. 2015). In the eastern Arabian Sea, total length and age at maturity for males is 201-“223 cm (TL) and 10 years, and 224-“231 cm and 11 years for females (Varghese et al. 2016). Generation length is estimated to be 15 years based on the average age of maturity of females as 9 years old and average maximum age of 21 years old (excluding outliers). This is in close agreement with generation length of 16 years in Dulvy et al. (2008).

The Shortfin Mako is an offshore littoral and epipelagic species found in tropical and warm-temperate seas to depths of up to 750 m (Compagno 2002, Weigmann 2016). This species reaches a maximum size of about 445 cm total length (TL) (Weigmann 2016). Males reach maturity at about 166-195 cm and females at about 265-280 cm (Pratt and Casey 1983, Stevens 1983, Cliff et al. 1990, Varghese et al. 2017). Age at maturity has been determined in several populations, including New Zealand (7-9 years for males, and 19-21 years for females Bishop et al. (2006)), and the NW Atlantic (eight years for males, and 18 years for females (Natanson et al. 2006)). Longevity has been estimated as 29-32 years (Bishop et al. 2006, Natanson et al. 2006). A study conducted off Brazil reported a longevity of 19-28 years and age at maturity of 7-12 years for females and longevity of 16-23 years and age at maturity of 3-6 years for males (Barreto et al. 2016b).The Shortfin Mako is ovoviviparous and oophagous, but what little is known of its reproductive cycle indicates the gestation period is 15-18 months, with a three year reproductive cycle (Mollet et al. 2002). Litter size is 4-25 pups (possibly up to 30, mostly 10-18), which are about 60-70 cm long at birth (Garrick 1967, Compagno 2001). There are comparatively few records of pregnant females. Among 26 shark species, the Shortfin Mako has an intrinsic rebound potential (a measure of its ability to recover from exploitation) in the mid-range (Smith et al. 1998) with an annual rate of population increase at 0.046 yr^-1. Cortes (2002) calculated a finite rate of increase (lambda) of 1.141 (1.098 to 1.181 95% CI, r = 0.13) and the average reproductive age as 10.1 (9.2 to 11.1 95% CI) years. Generation length is estimated at 24-25 years based on data for this species from New Zealand and the NW Atlantic (Bishop et al. 2006, Compagno et al. 2005, Natanson et al. 2006).

Prefers gravel and sandy plains. Not recorded in the mountains or sabkha (coastal salt flats). It is nocturnal and can survive without drinking (Harrison and Bates 1991).

Occurs in shallow waters and near-shore areas and uses natural channels between foraging areas where it consumes seagrass (Halodule spp. and Halophila spp.) (Marsh et al. 2011, EAD 2014). Surveys in Abu Dhabi have identified 1,500 km² of seagrass habitat and estimated the total area at >5,000 km² with smaller areas in the central and eastern emirates (e.g., 2 km² at Jebel Ali in Dubai; Erftemeijer and Shuail 2012). Dugongs are observed as solitary individuals and in groups of up to 200. The average daily movement in the Arabian Gulf is 32.7 km/day according to a United Arab Emirates satellite telemetry study (EAD tagging reports 2008 and 2012).