Great White Shark Identification Guide

The Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is one of the most recognizable fish in the ocean, but it is still confused with other large sharks at a distance. Use these field marks to confirm an identification.

Key identification features

• Two-tone body: slate-grey to bronze-grey on top, abruptly changing to a stark white underside — the sharp line between the two is the clearest cue.
• Robust, torpedo-shaped body with a conical, pointed snout.
• Large, triangular, coarsely serrated teeth (visible in close encounters).
• Crescent-shaped tail with nearly equal upper and lower lobes.
• A black spot at the base of each pectoral fin.

Common look-alikes

• Shortfin Mako: more slender, deep metallic-blue back, narrow pointed teeth — faster, sleeker outline.
• Porbeagle & Salmon Shark: stockier with a white patch at the rear base of the dorsal fin, which the Great White lacks.

Where you'll see one

Great Whites patrol cool and temperate coastal waters worldwide, often near seal colonies and offshore islands. The combination of huge size, the sharp grey-to-white line, and the conical snout confirms the identification.