Carcharhinus perezi
Caribbean Reef Shark [+]

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Elasmobranchii
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus: Carcharhinus
species: perezi
+ITIS +WoRMS

Description & Behavior

The Caribbean reef shark, Carcharhinus perezi (Poey, 1876), aka reef shark, are dark gray to gray-brown on the dorsal side, and white to light yellow on the ventral side. The undersides of the pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins and the ventral caudal lobe are dusky colored. An interdorsal ridge is present from the rear of the first dorsal fin to the front of the second dorsal fin, which has a short rear tip. The snout is moderately short and broadly rounded, and the eyes are relatively large. The Caribbean reef shark reaches a maximum of 2.95 m.

The Caribbean reef shark is physically similar to a number of sharks and has been compared to:

The dusky shark, C. obscurus, although the dusky has broad, triangular anterior upper teeth and the rear tip of the second dorsal fin is longer than that of the Caribbean reef shark.

The sandbar shark, C. plumbeus has a shorter snout, and the first dorsal fin is closer to the head originating over the pectoral fin base.

The blacktip shark, C. limbatus can be distinguished from the Caribbean reef shark by its white anal fin.

The silky shark, C. falciformis can be distinguished by their larger free rear tip of the second dorsal fin and by their teeth, which are more serrated at the base of the tooth rather than the cusp.

The bignose shark, C. altimus is also similar to the Caribbean reef shark, however the bignose has a larger snout and broader teeth.

The Galápagos shark, C. galapagensis: Galápagos sharks have a more erect first dorsal fin, a longer free rear tip of the second dorsal fin, and their teeth are more symmetrical than those of the Caribbean reef shark.

Caribbean reef sharks are also morphologically and ecologically very similar to the gray reef shark, which is found only in the Indo-Pacific region.

World Range & Habitat

The Caribbean reef shark, Carcharhinus perezi, is found in tropical waters of North, Central, and South America and is particularly abundant in the Caribbean. It can also be found off the coasts of Florida, Bermuda, the northern Gulf of Mexico, Yucatan, Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil. It is one of the most abundant sharks around the Bahamas and the Antilles. In the Atlantic, they are rarely found north of the Florida Keys.

The Caribbean reef shark tends to inhabit coral reefs and ocean bottoms near the continental and insular shelves. They prefer shallow waters with a maximum depth of 30 m. They are often found on the outer edges of coral reefs near drop offs and lying motionless on the ocean bottom.

» GBIF occurrence data in Google Earth [Tips] | Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) (World Distribution) [about]

Feeding Behavior (Ecology)

The Caribbean reef shark feeds on bony fishes and probably large, motile marine invertebrates using its acute senses of smell, sight, touch, hearing, and electric vibration using its ampullae of Lorenzini, small pores under the skin that form a sensory network. This shark, and others, also uses a lateral canal system in the body to detect water vibration. Prey is grasped at the mouth corner via a sudden lateral (sideways) snap of the jaws.

Juvenile Caribbean reef sharks are preyed on by larger shark species, such as the tiger and bull shark.

Life History

The Caribbean reef shark is a viviparous species, meaning females give birth to live young that she has nourished with a placental sac. Females reach sexual maturity between 2-3 m, males between 1.5-1.7 m. Litters average 4-6 pups that measure about 70 cm. Reproductive behavior of the Caribbean reef shark is not well known in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere females give birth between November-December, which is the summer season, after a 12 month gestation. Females often have scars from bites by males during mating.

Conservation Status/Additional Comments

The Caribbean reef shark is not an aggressive species and is not considered dangerous to humans unless provoked. However, it is excitable and may make close passes at divers and may bite in the presence of speared fish. Aggressive behavior may be displayed if the shark feels threatened or "cornered." When threatened, it stiffly lowers its pectoral fins and makes frequent, sharp direction changes. This species is important in dive eco-tourism in the Bahamas, where organized “shark feeds” are staged at traditional sites. Aggregations of Caribbean reef sharks at these sites are highly vulnerable to being fished out; a single longline could decimate an entire population.

Gray reef sharks, C. amblyrhynchos, a species similar to the Caribbean reef shark, are known to display threat behaviors such as swinging of the head in an abnormal pattern, quick or abrupt movements, and arching the back while lowering the pectoral fins.

When consumed, shark flesh may be harmful to humans because of high mercury levels.