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Definition of whitetip reef shark

whitetip reef shark

Plural:whitetip reef sharks
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• noun

1

A small, slender species of requiem shark (Triaenodon obesus) native to the shallow coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific ocean, easily recognized by the prominent white tips on its first dorsal fin and upper tail fin.

Example

"During our morning dive off the coast of Fiji, we spotted a whitetip reef shark resting quietly beneath a large shelf of coral."

Photo by keesgroenendijk / CC BY 4.0

Word Nuance & Usage

Care must be taken not to confuse the whitetip reef shark with the oceanic whitetip shark; the former is a timid, bottom-dwelling reef species, while the latter is a large, aggressive pelagic shark known to be highly dangerous to humans.

• Nearby Words

whiteout
whitetail
whitethroat
whitetip reef shark
whiteville
whitewall
whitewash

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Whitetip reef shark. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/whitetip-reef-shark
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