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Species: Carcharhinus brevipinna, Spinner Shark

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

snout long, narrow, pointed
eyes small
D1 origin over/behind pectoral free tip
D2 origin over A origin
no ridge between Ds
top & bottom teeth: tips narrow, straight, top serrated
black tips: D2, lower C, A, pectoral

Carcharhinus brevipinna (Müller & Henle, 1839)

Spinner Shark

A slender shark; eyes round, small, nictitating lower eyelid present; snout narrowly pointed, long, distance from tip to front of nostrils > distance from front of mouth to front of nostrils; anterior nasal flap very reduced and low; top and bottom teeth very similar, nearly symmetrical, with long narrow, straight points, top teeth finely serrated (in adults), lower teeth smooth; top lip furrow long, prominent; five gill slits, moderately long, last two over pectoral fin, gill arches without papillae; two dorsal fins, first relatively small, 5-6 times higher than second, its origin over or just behind free rear tip of pectoral; 2nd dorsal fin with length of free rear tip 1.5 X height of that fin; origin of second dorsal almost directly over anal fin origin; pectorals relatively small, narrow, curved, sharp tips; no ridge on body between dorsal fins; tail base without keel; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, with well developed lower lobe, undulating ridge along dorsal surface of top lobe, and a notch under tip of that lobe.

Grey above white below; an inconspicuous white band along flank; 2nd dorsal, pectorals, anal and lower lobe of tail fin of adults with intensely black tips,

Size: 278 cm.

Habitat: Coastal pelagic

Depth: 0-100 m, common in < 30 m.

Circumtropical except for the central and eastern Pacific; Delaware Bay to Uruguay.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • In & Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Offshore
Water Column Position
  • Mid Water
  • Near Surface
  • Surface
  • Water column only
Habitat
  • Water column
FishBase Habitat
  • Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Sharks/rays
  • Bony fishes
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Live birth
  • No pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Extends North of GC
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Near threatened
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 278
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 100