The whitetip reef shark is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, and the only member of its genus. A small shark usually not exceeding 1.6 m in length, this species is easily recognizable by its slender body and short but broad head, as well as tubular skin flaps beside the nostrils, oval eyes with vertical pupils, and white-tipped dorsal and caudal fins.
Similar species: Ground Sharks
By Andrey Narchuk
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Uploaded Jun 19, 2011. Captured May 21, 2011 21:54.
comments (10)
Posted 11 years ago
"Whitetip Reef Sharks (Triaenodon obesus) are small, shy sharks that are known for the frowning, cranky looks on their faces! They are one of the few requiem sharks that don't have to keep swimming to breathe since they can pump water across their gills without moving forward. Native to the Indo-Pacific ocean, they rest in reef caves during the day and forage at night. They're not territorial, so many sharks will crowd into a single cave together, usually stacking themselves on top of each other! Whitetips rely on the coral reef for food, and they are important predators as their consumption of certain fish serves as population control. This role becomes particularly important when considering their predation on fish, such as parrotfish, that consume coral.
Whitetips are curious around humans, but are relatively harmless due to their docile dispositions and are only a potential problem if provoked. They may be harmless to humans, but sadly the reverse is not true. Humans are the most dangerous predator of the whitetip reef shark. Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List because their numbers are dwindling as a result of being caught by unregulated fishing activity. {Spotted in Fiji by JungleDragon user, Andrey Narchuk} #JungleDragon"
Posted 6 years ago