Silvertip Shark
Carcharhinus albimarginatus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassElasmobranchii
- OrderCarcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
- FamilyCarcharhinidae (Requiem Sharks)
- GenusCarcharhinus (Typical Requiem Sharks)
- SpeciesCarcharhinus albimarginatus (Silvertip Shark)
The silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus) is a large species of requiem shark in the family carcharhinidae, with a fragmented distribution throughout the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is often encountered around offshore islands and coral reefs, and has been known to dive to a depth of 800 m (2,600 ft). The silvertip shark resembles a larger and bulkier grey reef shark (C. amblyrhynchos), but can be easily identified by the prominent white margins on its fins. It attains a maximum length of 3 m (10 ft). It feeds on a wide variety of bony fishes, as well as eagle rays, smaller sharks, and cephalopods. This species dominates other requiem sharks of equal size when competing for food, and larger individuals are often heavily scarred from conflicts with others of its species. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Galápagos Islands
Requiem shark
Carcharhinus limbatus
Galápagos Shark
Carcharhinus galapagensis
Silky Shark
Carcharhinus falciformis
Whitetip Reef Shark
Triaenodon obesus
Tiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
Scalloped Hammerhead
Sphyrna lewini
spotted houndshark
Triakis maculata
White-margin Fin Hound Shark
Mustelus albipinnis
hammerhead
Sphyrna zygaena
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of Silvertip Shark at Galápagos Islands — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isla del Coco National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 2 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |