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Field guide to marine inhabitants - Fishes

Family: Carcharhinidae

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Photo Courtesy of Chad MacFie

Blacktip Shark
Prepared by Jessica K. Tokarz

Carcharhinus limbatus 
.
Range: The Blacktip Shark is found in tropical and subtropical waters over continental shelves. In the Western Atlantic, their range extends from Massachusetts south to southern Brazil and includes the Bahamas, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico.

Similar Species: The Spinner Shark Carcharhinus brevipinna is similar in appearance to the Blacktip Shark. However, unlike the Spinner Shark, the anal fins of the Blacktip Shark do not have black tips. Additionally, Blacktip Sharks have also been observed leaping out of the water with a spinning movement that is also characteristic of the Spinner Shark. This behavior is thought to be associated with feeding as the sharks attack schools from below at high speed.

 

The red circle highlights the black-tipped anal fin of the Spinner Shark which distinguishes it from the Blacktip Shark

 

Identification: This robust shark is dark gray or blue to brown on the dorsal side with a white ventral surface and white band across its flank and has a moderately long, pointed snout. The first dorsal fin of the Blacktip Shark is slightly posterior to the pectoral fins. The pectoral fins, first and second dorsal fins, pelvic fins, and lower caudal lobe are black tipped. The average adult is 5ft (1.50m) in length.

Note: The Blacktip Shark feeds on several species of small schooling fish, such as herring, sardines, menhaden, mullet, and anchovies, as well as catfish, grouper, jacks, snook, porgies, grunts, croakers, flatfishes, triggerfish, squid, and porcupine fish. Occasionally, the Blacktip Shark will feed on other shark species such as Dogfish, Sharpnose Sharks, and young Dusky Sharks in addition to skates and stingrays.

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