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Several Silky Sharks Carcharhinus falciformis. Photo:  Daniel Versteeg / WWF

Silky Shark
dorsal fin

Several Silky Sharks Carcharhinus falciformis. Photo: Daniel Versteeg / WWF

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Identifying the
dorsal fin

  • Uniform grey to greyish-brown with a sloping leading edge.
  • Moderately rounded apex and strongly convexed (curving outwards) trailing edge
  • The free rear tip is half the length of the base

Note: Looks similar to Blue Shark dorsal fin (not CITES listed). The blue dorsal has a shorter free rear tip and lower angular leading edge, with a more brownish coloration.

STATUS AND RANGE

The Silky Shark Carcharhinus falciformis is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ and in CITES Appendix II.

Information has been adapted from Abercrombie and Hernandez (2017). Identifying shark fins: implementing and enforcing CITES. Abercrombie & Fish.