Ah, Shark identification. Not something most fisherman even worry about. Catch a shark any shark and the fisherman KNOWS what he caught and will tell you... a shark. But catch something else... anything and the species has to be known, research will be done, questions will be asked and answers WILL be found. Well finally someone sent in a shark for id. Ok not the first actually but the first of the requiem sharks. Requiem sharks are the subset of sharks that look like what you envision when the word shark is mentioned.

Anyway the picture above is of an Atlantic Sharpnose Shark. These sharks can be identified by a number of features all of which have to match up. If you rely on a single characteristic it is likely to also fit a few other species.

Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks have long snouts and white trailing edge of pectoral fins. The also have black-edged dorsal and caudal fins. When young they usually have small whitish spots on sides. Furrows in lips at the corners of the mouth and the outer margin of teeth notched are notched. The second dorsal fin originates over middle of anal fin and their coloration is brownish to olive-gray color with white underside and a slender body.

Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks range from the East coast of Canada southward following the coast to the Yucatan Penisuala and then again around the coast of Brazil.

They most commonly feed on small bony fishes such as filefish, shrimps, crabs, and squid.