Carcharhinus longimanus is a common oceanic shark that can be easily distinguished from other white-tipped sharks by its large, rounded fins. Although it has a few recorded attacks, it is generally unlikely to come into contact with humans.
Details
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size
Max. possibly 3.9 m
color
Grey above, pale below. Tips of first dorsal, pectorals and lower lobe of caudal white. Black markings on posterior fins particularly noticeable in young.
This species is found in oceanic waters but can also occasionally be found in coastal waters. It is an apparently sluggish species and is often accompanied by pilot fish. It feeds mainly on fish and squids and is viviparous, meaning that it gives birth to live young. It has a yolk-sac placenta, which provides nourishment to the developing embryos, and produces litters of 1 to 15 young, with larger females typically having larger litters.
distinctive characters
A large, stocky shark with a short and broadly rounded snout, broad, triangular and serrated teeth in its upper jaw, a very large and broadly rounded first dorsal fin, and very long and rounded pectoral fins with a ridge between the dorsals.