Whitetip Reef Shark (Galapagos, Ecuador) Stock Image

The whitetip reef shark Triaenodon obesus is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, and the only member of its genus. A small shark usually not exceeding 1.6 m (5.2 ft) in length, this species is easily recognizable by its slender body and short but broad head, as well as tubular skin flaps beside the nostrils, oval eyes with vertical pupils, and white-tipped dorsal and caudal fins. It is typically found on or near the bottom in clear water, at a depth of 8–40 m (26–131 ft).