Grey Reef Shark

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Elasmobranchii
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus: Carcharhinus
Species: Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos

The grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) is a sleek grey shark with a broad black edge along its tail fin. Its first dorsal fin is plain or has a thin white tip, which helps separate it from blacktip and whitetip reef sharks.

It grows to about 1.8 m and hunts reef fish, squid and crustaceans, often more actively at night. When it feels threatened it performs a hunched, exaggerated swimming display, a clear signal for divers to back off. It is classed as Endangered.

In the Philippines it is found along steep outer reef walls and channels with current, especially at remote offshore reefs.

Photo: cello caruso-turiello, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist