Dusky Shark Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Large, heavy-bodied shark, bronze-grey to blue-grey above, fading to white below
• Low, broadly triangular first dorsal fin with a rounded tip, set back from the pectoral fins
• Distinct ridge running along the back between the first and second dorsal fins
• Long, pointed snout and fins generally lacking bold black or white markings (may show subtle dusky tips)
• Reaches 3-4 m (10-13 ft), a robust, powerful build
• Second dorsal fin is small and set roughly opposite the anal fin
• Overall proportions are intermediate between the sleeker Silky Shark and the stockier Bull Shark

Common look-alikes

• Bull shark: stockier and shorter-snouted, without the mid-back ridge between the dorsal fins.
• Sandbar shark: has a much taller, more upright first dorsal fin and the same back ridge, making fin height the key separator.
• Silky shark: more slender body and a smaller, curved first dorsal fin without the interdorsal ridge as pronounced.

Where you'll see one

Dusky Sharks range widely through warm temperate and tropical continental shelf and offshore waters worldwide, from nearshore reefs to open ocean, and are known for slow growth and wide-ranging migrations.