The Caribbean reef shark can grow up to 10 feet in length and weigh up to 154 pounds. This large streamlined shark has a gray body, a ridge between the dorsal fins and a short blunt snout. Its first dorsal fin is small with a similarly small rear edge.

The Caribbean reef shark is widely distributed in all tropical waters in the western Atlantic Ocean, from southern Florida to northern Brazil, including the many islands of the Caribbean. It is especially common in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico where it frequents the many scattered reefs.

The Caribbean reef shark is very common in the Bahamas.

The Caribbean reef shark can be found from the surface down to about 200 feet, but it generally prefers depths of no more than 100 feet. As its name suggests, it frequents the reef zones of tropical waters. It typically swims in shallow waters or near the drop-offs on the outer edges of coral reefs.

The Caribbean reef shark primarily feeds on reef fish from the Priacanthidae fish family, which are characterized by their large eyes, earning them the nickname « bigeye » in english, as well as on rays and cephalopods.

The Caribbean reef shark is viviparous. After a gestation period of one year, the female gives birth to about half a dozen young sharks, which are already around 2 feet in length. The young males will reach sexual maturity at around 5.2 feet in length, while females will need to grow between 6.5 to 10 feet before reaching maturity.

The Caribbean reef shark is consumed by humans in various cooked dishes. Due to overfishing, its population is declining in several areas, and the species is considered near-threatened by the IUCN !