Oceanic White Tip

Up to 13 ft, generally less than 10 ft

Family	Carcharhinidae
Description	Requiem sharks
Environment	Fresh, Brackish & Marine
Etymology	Greek, karcharos, -ou = cutting, sharp and also a kind of shark + Greek, rhinos = nose
Genus	12
No. of Species	59
Order	Carcharhiniformes
Class	Elasmobranchii
Reproductive Guild	Bearers
Distribution	Global. Gill openings 5, the fifth behind origin of pectoral fin. Small to large sharks with round eyes, internal nictitating eyelids, no nasoral grooves or barbels, usually no spiracles. Teeth usually bladelike with one cusp. Development usually viviparous with young born fully developed. Includes several dangerous species, but most prefer to avoid divers.

White Tip

From the surface to 500 ft, most abundant in the tropics. An oceanic deep-water species which sometimes comes close to shore. Found surface to depths of at least 150 m. Epipelagic usually over water depths of >184 meters. Frequently accompanied by Remora, Coryphaena, pilot fishes, and tortoises. Feeds oceanic bony fishes, also threadfins, stingrays, sea turtles, sea birds, gastropods, squid, crustaceans, mammalian carrion and garbage, including tuna and mahimahi. Viviparous. There is pronounced partial segregation by size and sex in some areas. This is an active, almost fearless shark also charged in human attacks. Probably responsible for many open-ocean attacks after air or sea disasters. 1 to 15 young, 60 to 65 cm, are born per litter

Gray; mottled tail and fin tips; enlarged first dorsal fin and long, paddle-shaped pectoral fins. Eats pelagic fishes, cephalopods, sea turtles, sea birds, marine mammal carrion. Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0. A stocky shark with a huge, rounded 1st dorsal fin, and long, wide-tipped pectoral fins; snout bluntly rounded; upper teeth triangular; interdorsal ridge present. Back usually dark grey with a bronze tinge, sometimes brown or bluish; belly whitish, sometimes with a yellow tinge; tips off first dorsal, pectorals, and lower lobe of caudal often white or with white spots (sometimes absent); ventral surface of pelvic fins, apices of anal and second dorsal, and ventral lobe of caudal often with black spots; black or dusky saddle-marks in front of second dorsal, upper margin of caudal and between dorsal fins (especially in young)

Viviparous, placental. Litter size 1-15 pups; 60-65 cm at birth. Distinct pairing with embrace

Summary of Distribution: Cosmopolitan. Western Atlantic: Maine, USA to Argentina; also in Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Eastern Atlantic: Portugal to Gulf of Guinea; possibly occurring in the Mediterranean. Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahiti and Tuamoto islands. Eastern Pacific: southern California, USA to Peru, including the Galapagos. Highly migratory species
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

Light to medium ocean tackle, with lines to 30-pound test. Sometimes a picky bite that insists on live bait; has been taken on cut baits.