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Whitetip Reef Shark
Triaenodon obesus (Rüppell, 1837)

Whitetip Reef Sharks at a depth of 14m, North Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea, December 2000. Note that the female at the lower right of the image has bite marks in front of the pectoral fin. These are presumably the result of a recent mating. View larger image.

A Whitetip Reef Shark at a depth of 11m, south-east Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea, November 1998. View larger image.

A Whitetip Reef Shark at a depth of 18m, south-east Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea, November 1998. View larger image.

A Whitetip Reef Shark at a depth of 15m, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea, November 1998. View larger image.

The Whitetip Reef Shark is a slender species with a short, blunt snout. It is brownish-grey above fading to whitish below. There are scattered dark grey spots on the sides of the body.

The tips of the first dorsal fin and upper caudal fin lobe are brilliant white. The tip of the second dorsal fin and lower caudal fin lobe are sometimes white.

This species is reported to grow to 2.13m in length but adults over 1.6m long are rarely seen.

The Whitetip Reef Shark is a curious species that often approaches divers. It is not considered dangerous to people.

It is found in tropical marine waters often associated with coral reefs or lying on the bottom in caves and under ledges. It is found widely throughout the Indo-Pacific.

In Australia it is recorded from north-western Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to the southern Queensland coast.

View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.

Further reading

1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
3. Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 4, Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes: 251-655.
4. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
5. Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 1994 Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.
6. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.