Caribbean reef shark

What it is

This robust requiem shark has a streamlined body typical of its family. It is difficult to distinguish from similar large species like the dusky or silky shark. Key features include dusky fins without strong markings and a short free rear tip on the second dorsal fin. The snout is short and rounded, with large circular eyes. Adults usually measure between two and two and a half metres, though they can reach three metres. Their colour is dark grey above and white below, with an faint white band on the flanks.

Where it lives

These sharks inhabit the tropical western Atlantic Ocean. Their range extends from North Carolina and Bermuda in the north to Brazil in the south. They are most common in the Caribbean Sea and the northern Gulf of Mexico. They prefer shallow waters on or around coral reefs, often near drop-offs at the outer edges. While they stay mostly in water less than thirty metres deep, they have been recorded diving to depths of nearly four hundred metres. They are extremely rare north of the Florida Keys.

How it lives

They are apex predators that feed on reef-dwelling bony fishes, cephalopods, and some rays. Young sharks eat small fish, shrimps, and crabs. They are more active at night and do not show seasonal migration patterns. Unusually for active swimmers, they rest motionless on the sea floor or in caves. Juveniles stay in localised areas, while adults roam wider. Larger sharks like tigers and bulls prey on juveniles. Cleaning stations with gobies help remove parasites. They may perform a threat display by dipping pectoral fins if provoked.

Breeding and life cycle

Reproduction is viviparous, meaning females give birth to live young. Embryos receive nourishment via a placental connection after exhausting their yolk supply. Mating appears aggressive, as females often bear bite scars. Litter sizes average four to six pups, born after a one-year gestation period. Females become pregnant every other year. Birth timing varies by location, occurring from February to April in some Brazilian sites and later in other Southern Hemisphere locations. Newborns measure no more than seventy-four centimetres.

Fish and people

Fisheries value this shark for meat, leather, liver oil, and fins. In Belize and Colombia, it is caught by longline and gillnets. The meat is used in local dishes like panades. However, ecotourism has increased its economic value. Shark viewing in the Bahamas generates millions annually, with individual live sharks worth far more than dead ones. Controversial baited dives attract them to divers. This practice is banned in Florida but continues elsewhere. The flesh may contain high levels of heavy metals like methylmercury.

Status and threats

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists this species as Endangered. Populations have declined in places like Belize and Cuba due to overfishing. Habitat loss from coral reef degradation also threatens them. Commercial fishing is prohibited in United States waters. Protection exists in the Bahamas and some Marine Protected Areas in Brazil. However, enforcement against illegal fishing remains weak in many reserves. Many areas where the shark is abundant lack any formal protection measures.

Relatives and look-alikes

It belongs to the genus Carcharhinus within the requiem shark family. It is closely related to the grey reef shark, which it resembles in behaviour and appearance. Other similar large members of its family include the dusky shark, silky shark, bignose shark, and sandbar shark. Phylogenetic studies suggest it is a sister taxon to a group containing the Galapagos, dusky, oceanic whitetip, and blue sharks. Fossil teeth indicate a long presence in the Americas.

Questions people ask about Caribbean reef shark

Good reading and sources

• Caribbean reef shark on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data