Guide to Shark Identification

Order Carcharhiniformes —
Ground Sharks

The ground sharks are a large family of generalized, superficially very similar sharks that include many of the most ecologically and commercially important species.  All carcharhinoids share the following features:

Key to Selected Carcharhinoid Families
Sphyrnidae | Scyliorhinidae | Carcharhinidae | Triakidae

More about Ground Sharks

Family Scyliorhinidae — Cat Sharks

The catsharks are a large group of diverse but generally smallish creatures found in a wide variety of marine habitats, from rocky and coral reef to the deep-sea.  All scyliorhinoids share the following characteristics:

More about Cat Sharks

Swell Shark (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 35 inches (90 centimetres), maximum to 43 inches (110 centimetres)

Habitat:  Rocky Reefs, Kelp Forests

Distribution:  Tropical Eastern Pacific

Swell Shark Ecological Profile

Pyjama Catshark (Poroderma africanum)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 2 feet (60 centimetres), maximum about 3 feet (1 metre)

Habitat:  Rocky Reefs, Kelp Forest

Distribution:  Southern African, Madagascaran

Pyjama Catshark Ecological Profile

Small-Spotted Catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 2 feet (60 centimetres), maximum to about 3 feet (100 centimetres)

Habitat:  Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs

Distribution:   Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African

Family Triakidae — Smoothhound Sharks

The smoothhound sharks are active hunters specializing in crustacean prey and often associated with soft bottoms.  All triakids share the following characteristics:

More about Smoothhound Sharks

Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 metres), maximum to 6 feet (1.8 metres)

Habitat:  Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Kelp Forests

Distribution:  Temperate Eastern Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific

Leopard Shark Ecological Profile

Family Carcharhinidae —

Requiem or Whaler Sharks

The requiem or whaler sharks are solidly-built, typical sharks that are superficially very similar and thus rather difficult to identify as free-swimming animals in the wild.  All carcharhinids share the following characteristics:

More about Requiem or Whaler Sharks

Silvertip Shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres), maximum about 10 feet (3 metres)

Habitat:  Intertidal, Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs, Deep Sea

Distribution:  Central Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Southern African, Central Indian, Madagascaran, Arabian, ?Indian, Southeast Asian, Northern Australian, Japanese

Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length 3 to 4 feet (1 to 1.2 metres), maximum to at least 6 feet (1.8 metres); reputed to reach 8.4 feet (2.55 metres), but this is uncertain

Habitat:  Intertidal, Sandy Plains, Coral Reefs

Distribution:  Central Pacific, South Pacific, Madagascaran, Arabian, ?Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Northern Australian

Grey Reef Shark Ecological Profile

Bronze Whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres), maximum to about 10 feet (3 metres)

Habitat:  Intertidal, ?Estuaries, ?Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs

Distribution:  Tropical Eastern Pacific, Chilean, Argentinean, Amazonian, ?Caribbean, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Japanese

Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 6.5 to 8 feet (2 to 2.4 metres), maximum to 11 feet (3.3 metres)

Habitat:  Rocky Reefs, Open Ocean, Deep Sea

Distribution:  Central Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Chilean, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Silky Shark Ecological Profile

Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.89 metres), maximum to about 10 feet (3 metres)

Habitat:  Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs, Open Ocean

Distribution:  Central Pacific, South Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, South Atlantic, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Madagascaran, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, ?Northern Australian

Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length 7 to 8 feet, maximum to about 11 feet (3.4 metres)

Habitat:  Intertidal, Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs, Fresh Waters

Distribution:  Central Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian

Bull Shark Ecological Profile

Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 5 feet (1.5 metres), maximum to 8.4 feet (2.6 metres)

Habitat:  Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs, Open Ocean

Distribution:  Central Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, ?Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.5 metres), maximum to 11.5 feet (3.5 metres) — although some exceptional females are reported to grow even larger

Habitat:  Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs, Open Ocean

Distribution:  Central Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Chilean, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Argentinean, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Central Indian, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Oceanic Whitetip Shark Ecological Profile

Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length is 3 to 4 feet (1 to 1.2 metres), maximum reported to 6 feet (1.8 metres), but most adults less than 5.25 feet (1.6 metres)

Habitat:  Intertidal, Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs

Distribution:  Central Pacific, Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Caribbean Reef Shark (Carcharhinus perezi)

What to Look For:

snout moderately short and broadly rounded, with small anterior nasal flaps

first dorsal fin broad  and falcate, with bluntly pointed apex and moderately long free rear tip (about a third the length of the base), and much larger than second dorsal or anal fins

Size:  average length 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres), maximum about 10 feet (3 metres)

Habitat:  Sandy Plains, Coral Reefs

Distribution:  Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic

Caribbean Reef Shark Species Profile

Sandbar Shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 6.5 feet (2 m), maximum 8 feet (2.4 metres).

Habitat:  Intertidal, Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs, Deep Sea

Distribution:  Central Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, ?Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Northern Australian, Japanese

Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length 11 to 14 feet (3.4 to 4.3 metres), maximum to at least 18 feet — although one gigantic female caught off Indo-China was reportedly 24 feet (7.4 metres) long

Habitat:  Intertidal, Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Coral Reefs, Open Ocean, Deep Sea, Polar Seas

Distribution:  Arctic, Central Pacific, ?South Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Chilean, Argentinean, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Tiger Shark Ecological Profile

Sharptooth Lemon Shark (Negaprion acutidens)

What to Look For:

Size:   average length about 8 feet (2.4 metres), maximum 10.2 feet (3.1 metres)

Habitat:  Intertidal, Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Coral Reefs, Open Ocean (1 record)

Distribution:  Central Pacific, Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian

Lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 metres), maximum 11 feet (3.4 metres)

Habitat:  Intertidal, Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Coral Reefs

Distribution:  Tropical Eastern Pacific, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, West African

Lemon Shark Ecological Profile

Blue Shark (Prionace glauca)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 metres), maximum to at least 13 feet (4 metres), although individuals reported as long as 21 feet (6.5 metres)

Habitat:  Rocky Reefs, Kelp Forests, Open Ocean, Deep Sea, Polar Seas

Distribution:  Arctic, Antarctic, North Pacific, Central Pacific, South Pacific, Temperate Eastern Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Chilean, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Argentinean, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Central Indian, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Blue Shark Ecological Profile

Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 metres), maximum to 5.6 feet (1.7 metres)

Habitat:  Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs, Deep Sea

Distribution:  Central Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Caribbean (one record), Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Northern Australian, Japanese

Whitetip Reef Shark Ecological Profile

Family Sphyrnidae — Hammerhead Sharks

The hammerheads are highly distinctive sharks found mostly in tropical waters, although the Smooth Hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) regularly inhabits cool waters at moderately high latitudes.  As a group, the sphyrnids share one obvious characteristic:

More about Hammerhead Sharks

Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length about 7 feet (2.1 metres); maximum to at least 11.5 feet (3.5 metres)

Habitat:  Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Open Ocean, Deep Sea

Distribution:  Central Pacific, South Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, ?Chilean, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Scalloped Hammerhead Ecological Profile

Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length 10 to 12 feet (3 to 3.6 metres), maximum at least 18 feet (5.5 metres), but said to reach lengths of 20 feet (6.1 metres)

Habitat:  Intertidal, Sandy Plains, Coral Reefs

Distribution:  South Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Great Hammerhead Ecological Profile

Bonnethead Shark (Sphyrna tiburo)

What to Look For:

Size:  average length is 27 to 39 inches (70 to 100 centimetres), maximum to about 5 feet (1.5 metres)

Habitat:  Intertidal, Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Coral Reefs

Distribution:  Tropical Eastern Pacific, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic

Bonnethead Shark Ecological Profile

 

ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research
Text and illustrations © R. Aidan Martin
Copyright | Privacy