Abstract
An array of acoustic receivers deployed in Cleveland Bay, north Queensland, Australia, passively tracked 20 adult spottail sharks Carcharhinus sorrah over 2 years (2009–2010) to define patterns in movement and habitat use. Individuals were present in the study site for long periods, ranging from 8 to 408 days (mean = 185). Size and location of home ranges did not vary over time. A high level of segregation occurred among C . sorrah , with individuals using different types of habitat and showing strong attachment to specific regions. The depth of habitat individuals used varied between sexes. Males tended to use a narrow range of habitat depths within the study site (2·8–6·0 m), whereas females used shallower habitats (1·4–6·2 m) and displayed a seasonal shift in the depth of habitat used. Mean monthly habitat depth used varied by as much as 2 m for females, with individuals using shallower habitats during the winter months. Long‐term presence and consistent home ranges suggest that Cleveland Bay provides important habitat for C . sorrah . By defining patterns in the use of nearshore habitats for C . sorrah , this study improves the understanding of the movement and habitat use of smaller‐bodied coastal sharks and may help provide guidance for the management of their populations.