Silky Shark

Carcharhinus falciformis

Diet

An opportunistic predator that feeds mainly on bony fishes and also takes cephalopods and swimming crabs.

Range

Cosmopolitan in tropical marine waters warmer than 23 °C, across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans.

Habitat

Primarily an open-ocean shark, most common near continental and insular shelf edges, deepwater reefs and islands; it is usually found near the surface but can dive much deeper.

Lifespan

At least 22 years

Activity

Highly mobile, migratory and active. It is most often found near the surface, and may gather in large, loosely organized groups during migration.

Conservation

Vulnerable (IUCN assessment, 2017)

What to notice

Its smooth-feeling skin comes from tiny, densely packed dermal denticles—the toothlike scales covering a shark’s skin. Its long, sickle-shaped pectoral fins and small first dorsal fin also help distinguish it from similar requiem sharks.

Facts

• Its smooth-feeling skin comes from tiny, densely packed dermal denticles—the toothlike scales covering a shark’s skin. Its long, sickle-shaped pectoral fins and small first dorsal fin also help distinguish it from similar requiem sharks.

Research sources

• Silky shark