Sealife guideThe blacktip reef sharkCarcharhinus melanopterus

Taxonomy

Common name: Blacktip reef shark
French name: Requin pointe noire
Scientific name: Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
Family name: Carcharhinidae
Order name: Carcharhiniformes
Class name: Elasmobranchii

Description

The blacktip reef shark, with its gray back and whitish belly, is particularly recognizable by the black tip of its dorsal fin. The blacktip reef shark can reach up to 6.5 feet in length and weigh up to around 22 pounds.

The blacktip reef shark is recognizable by the black tip on its fin ! © Carol Buchanan | Dreamstime.com

Range

The blacktip reef shark is found in the subtropical coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific ocean, ranging from the eastern coasts of Africa to Hawaii and the Tuamotu archipelago, including the Maldives and French Polynesia. It is also present in the Red sea and via the Suez Canal, in the Mediterranean sea.

Habitat

The blacktip reef shark inhabits shallow lagoon waters or the edges of lagoons near reefs, but it can also be found at depths of up to 246 feet.

Typically, the blacktip reef shark frequents the same reef areas and may live in groups of several individuals.

Diet

The blacktip reef shark primarily feeds on various types of fish, as well as crustaceans, cephalopods and other mollusks.

The blacktip reef shark accompanied by its faithful remoras !

Reproduction

The blacktip reef shark is viviparous. After a 9-month gestation period, the female gives birth to a litter of 2 to 4 pups, each measuring around 16 inches, although they grow very slowly afterward.

Did you know ?

The blacktip reef shark cannot remain stationary without risking suffocation, as it needs to constantly move to generate a water current through its gills to supply the oxygen needed for breathing.

The blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) © Carol Buchanan | Dreamstime.com

The blacktip reef shark is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The blacktip reef shark appears in the IUCN Red List since 2020 within the category Vulnerable !

Within the same genus

Bull shark
(Carcharhinus leucas)

Copper shark
(Carcharhinus brachyurus)

Caribbean reef shark
(Carcharhinus perezi)

Galapagos shark
(Carcharhinus galapagensis)

Sandbar shark
(Carcharhinus plumbeus)

Blacknose shark
(Carcharhinus acronotus)

Oceanic whitetip shark
(Carcharhinus longimanus)

Dusky shark
(Carcharhinus obscurus)

Within the same family

Blue shark
(Prionace glauca)

Lemon shark
(Negaprion brevirostris)

Whitetip reef shark
(Triaenodon obesus)

Tiger shark
(Galeocerdo cuvier)

Explore also

Great white shark
(Carcharodon carcharias)

Longfin mako
(Isurus paucus)

Brownbanded bamboo shark
(Chiloscyllium punctatum)

Leopard shark
(Triakis semifasciata)

Tasselled wobbegong
(Eucrossorhinus dasypogon)

Ornate wobbegong
(Orectolobus ornatus)

Spotted wobbegong
(Orectolobus maculatus)

Leafscale gulper shark
(Centrophorus squamosus)

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