Heterodontus francisci These small sharks are members of the bullhead family. Slow moving and nocturnal, they scavenge close to shore, and return to the same resting place each day. Both dorsal fins sport sharp spines, and should be handled with care. Order – Heterodontiformes Family – Hetero
Danger to Humans Horn sharks may bite when harassed.
Mycteroperca microlepis This oblong fish has small eyes over a pointed snout, and a continuous dorsal fin to a square caudal fin. Their colors vary by age and gender, but they range from gray to light brown with darker blotches or squiggles, giving it a faint marble pattern, or darker to a camouf
Danger to Humans There have been reported cases of ciguatera from human consumption
Carcharhinus galapagensis This large shark is often confused with several other sharks because of its fin sizes and placements, and brownish grey on top and white underneath coloring. They are abundantly present around oceanic islands. Younger sharks usually eat bottom-dwelling fish, but as they
Danger to Humans According to the International Shark Attack File, the Galapagos
Isistius brasiliensis This small, cigar-shaped shark is dark brown on top and light on the underside, with a darker band around its neck. The light underside glows, attracting fish, whales, and sharks. It attaches itself to the prey and uses its serrated bottom teeth to cut out a perfectly circul
Danger to Humans According to the International Shark Attack File, the cookie cutter
Prionace glauca Blue sharks are pelagic sharks commonly named for their distinct blue color that fades to a crisp white underside. They have a long, sleek body and an elongated conical snout. They are often seen swimming slowly at the surface with the tips of their dorsal and caudal fins out of t
Photo © Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch Danger to Humans The blue shark is relatively
Somniosus microcephalus This large, heavy-set shark grows to an average 8-14 feet long but can get to be 24 feet. It has a short, rounded snout, small eyes, and relatively small dorsal fins. Although it is an apex predator, it is a slow swimmer, and likely ambushes its prey and scavenges for
dogs that have been poisoned by the shark’s meat are often called “drunk.� Danger
Caranx hippos This large fish is wonderfully abundant in the Atlantic Ocean, and popular resource for both commercial and sports fishers alike. The juvenile is striped vertically along its sides, but as it matures, it changes to an even greenish-bluish above and silver or golden below. Usually ad
Danger to Humans There have been some reports of ciguatera poisoning associated
Orectolobus ornatus This type of carpet shark has a flat head and stocky body with a stout tail. It has nasal barbels and dermal lobes forming a fringe along the front of its face (Compagno 2001) and is usually a golden brown with dark broad saddles (Compagno 2005). A nocturnal hunter, it prefers
Danger to Humans The ornate wobbegong can inflict shallow but painful wounds with
Carcharhinus limbatus This medium sized, stocky shark is dark grey to brown on top transitioning to white underneath. It has characteristically marked black-tipped fins. Blacktip sharks prefer to hunt small schooling fishes, taking out prey as they move quickly through the school, often breac
Danger to Humans Records from The International Shark Attack File (ISAF) show that
Carcharhinus melanopterus A small-medium sized shark with recognizable black fin tips with white highlights. Blacktip reef sharks are abundant on coral reefs, making them a popular species in reef and dive tourism. They are also frequently displayed in aquaria. Order – Carcharhiniformes Famil
Danger to Humans Blacktip reef shark have occasionally been known to bite people
