Black fin reef shark vs Pacific smalltail shark

Carcharhinus melanopterus compared with Carcharhinus cerdale

Key Differences

• Black fin reef shark is Vulnerable while Pacific smalltail shark is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black fin reef shark	Pacific smalltail shark
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)
Order same	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
Family same	Carcharhinidae	Carcharhinidae
Genus same	Carcharhinus	Carcharhinus
Species	Carcharhinus melanopterus	Carcharhinus cerdale

Evolutionary Relationship

Black fin reef shark and Pacific smalltail shark share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Carcharhinus.

Conservation Status

Black fin reef shark

VU — Vulnerable

Pacific smalltail shark

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black fin reef shark	Pacific smalltail shark
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black fin reef shark

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Range

Found in Taiwan. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Pacific smalltail shark

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Black fin reef shark

The Black fin reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) is a species in the genus Carcharhinus. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.