Reef Shark Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Streamlined, torpedo-shaped body typical of requiem sharks, usually 1.5-2.5 m (5-8 ft)
• Grey to grey-brown back fading to a pale belly (countershading)
• Fin-tip coloration is the key clue: grey reef sharks show a black rear fin margin, whitetip reef sharks have bright white-tipped dorsal and caudal fins, and blacktip reef sharks show black-tipped fins with a pale band beneath the black
• Broad, rounded snout and moderately large first dorsal fin
• Often seen patrolling reef edges alone or in small groups

Common look-alikes

• Whitetip reef shark: distinguished from grey reef shark by its white-tipped fins versus a solid black rear-margin band.
• Blacktip reef shark: has a prominent black tip on the first dorsal fin with a pale streak beneath, unlike the grey reef shark's uniformly dark fin margin.
• Silvertip shark: similar shape but larger, with vivid white edges on all major fins rather than just the tips.

Where you'll see one

Reef sharks are found on coral reefs and adjacent drop-offs throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific and western Atlantic, usually in shallow to moderate depths near reef structure, channels, and lagoons.