The silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis), also known by numerous names such as blackspot shark, gray whaler shark, olive shark, ridgeback shark, sickle shark, sickle-shaped shark and sickle silk shark, is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, named for the smooth texture of its skin.

The silky shark is one of the three most common pelagic sharks along with the blue and oceanic whitetip sharks, and counts among the most numerous large oceanic animals in the world with a population of at least tens of millions.

Silky sharks, as we’ve established, are requiem sharks, in the Carcharhinidae family. They’re sleek, agile, middle-sized predators with long pectoral fins, characteristic of pelagic, or open-water, sharks.

The Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) is a type of shark of the genus Carcharhinus, family Carcharhinidae. They are mainly found in warm bodies of water in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The Silky shark is large, slim, and grows up to a maximum length of 3.3 metres (10 feet).

Feb 3, 2025 · A large, slender shark, the silky is characterized by a moderately extended, rounded snout, a relatively sloping first dorsal fin with a blunt apex that originates behind the free margins of the pectoral fins, a small second dorsal fin with an extremely long free rear tip (more than 2x the height), and a low inter-dorsal ridge.

May 27, 2024 · Silky Sharks are one of the most abundant sharks in the pelagic zone and can be found in tropical waters throughout the world. They prefer to feed on bony fishes and cephalopods and have been known to drive them into compacted schools before launching forward and attacking, open-mouthed.

Silky sharks, Carcharhinus falciformis, are a highly-migratory species found in subtropical waters between 40°N-40°S in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts, USA, south to southern Brazil, in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. In the eastern Atlantic, silky sharks are found near Spain, northern Angola, and Cape Verde.

Silky sharks are smooth, sleek oceanic predators with densely packed dermal denticles that give their skin a distinct sheen. They live in the open ocean but are often found around seamounts, where schooling in their hundreds can be seen.

A large slim oceanic shark with a moderately long rounded snout and an interdorsal ridge. COLOR Dark brown to bronze above, white below. The shark has dusky fin tips and a faint white band on its flank. SIZE Males mature when they are about 6 or 7 years of age and attain a length of 6.1 to 7.1 ft [1.87 to 2.18 m] and may reach a length of 9.8 ...

Silky sharks, renowned for their smooth skin and agile movements, frequent these waters, offering divers a rare opportunity to observe these magnificent creatures up close in their natural habitat. You might even get lucky and see a school of silkies usually during the months of April and May.