How to Identify Copper Shark

To identify Copper Shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus), look at these key features.

Physical Characteristics

Body shape

torpedo

Coloration

Dorsally bronze to olive-grey, fading to a white underside. Fins may have dusky tips, especially in juveniles, but no prominent markings.

Scale type

placoid

Mouth position

inferior

Distinctive features

Relatively long, pointed snout, Narrow, hooked teeth in both jaws, with serrations on the upper teeth and smooth edges on the lower teeth, First dorsal fin originates over or slightly in front of the pectoral fin free rear tips, No interdorsal ridge

Dorsal fin

Two dorsal fins. The first is moderately large and triangular, originating over or slightly in front of the pectoral fin free rear tips. The second dorsal fin is much smaller, originating over the anal fin.

Tail fin

Heterocercal, with a well-developed lower lobe and a prominent notch near the tip of the upper lobe.

Pectoral fin

Large and falcate (sickle-shaped).

Distinctive fins

Absence of an interdorsal ridge, which helps distinguish it from some other Carcharhinus species.

Identification Tips

1. 1

   Coloration

   Look for the characteristic bronze to olive-grey dorsal coloration, which gives it its common name.

2. 2

   Snout and Teeth

   Observe the relatively long, pointed snout and the narrow, hooked teeth. Upper teeth are serrated, lower teeth are smooth-edged.

3. 3

   Dorsal Fin Origin

   The first dorsal fin originates over or slightly in front of the free rear tips of the pectoral fins.

4. 4

   Interdorsal Ridge

   Crucially, the Copper Shark lacks an interdorsal ridge, a feature present in many other large Carcharhinus species.

5. 5

   Size

   Adults typically range from 2.5 to 3.0 meters (8.2 to 9.8 feet) in length, with a maximum recorded length of about 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) and a weight of over 300 kg (660 lbs).

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