Carcharinhus melanopterus
Fast Facts
- Identified by the black tips of their fins
- These sharks must swim continuously to force water over the gills and avoid sinking. A shark could rest on the ocean floor if the current is strong enough or the shark must actively pump water itself.
- Blacktip reef sharks give live birth.
Range
Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea to the Hawaiian Islands, and the Tuamotu Archipelago
Habitat
Shallow waters on and near coral reefs, occasionally brackish waters
Size
Up to 6 feet
Nutrition
Reef fishes, stingrays, crustaceans, cephalopods, and mollusks