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DUSKY SHARK
Carcharhinus obscurus
SIZE
To about 12 ft (3.7 m).
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
- First dorsal fin sloping, originating over or slightly before free tips of pectoral fins
- Second dorsal fin with free tip length rarely more than twice fin height
- Color gray or bluish-gray above, white below
- Interdorsal ridge
DISTRIBUTION
Cape Cod, MA, and Georges Back to FL, including Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.
HABITAT
Continental waters inshore to outer continental shelf and adjacent oceanic waters.
SIMILAR SPECIES
Sandbar shark, and bignose shark have higher first dorsal fins originating farther forward. Sandbar shark, most difficult to distinguish, attains smaller maximum size. Bignose shark has longer snout. Silky shark has second dorsal fin with free tip length usually more than twice fin height. Night shark has green eyes. Bull shark and Spinner shark lack interdorsal ridges.
MORE INFORMATION
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Text descriptions taken from Guide to Sharks, Tunas, & Billfishes of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico |
Dusky shark length-weight relationship
Differences between dusky and sandbar sharks
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(File Modified Sep. 13 2011)
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