Scissortail Sergeants surround a Whitetip Reef Shark and Blacktip Reef Shark at Shark Reef (00021319)

Description: The whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) is a small shark usually not exceeding 1.6 m in length. This species is easily recognizable by its slender body, short but broad head and its white-tipped dorsal and caudal fins. It is one of the most common sharks found on Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Typically the whitetip reef shark it is found on or near the bottom in clear water, at a depth of 8–40 m. On the other hand, the blacktip reef shark reaches a maximum length of 160 cm and is characterized by black tips on all fins and a black border on the tail fin. This shark species often stays in the intertidal zone and can also be found in very shallow water. At Shark Reef, the blacktip reef shark is almost always present.

Location: Vitu Levu, Beqa Lagoon, , Fiji

Date of Capture: 09.02.2007