![]() Image credit, Eric Hoffmayer, NMFS Pascagoula. The body is stockier than other common species. The snout of the bull shark is very short, its length less than the width of the mouth and rounded. Juveniles are not uncommon in the lower salinity bays and estuaries. The bull shark is not abundant but is regularly taken in some areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico. ![]() As the name implies, the shark has fine, needle-like teeth in both upper and lower jaws. This species has a striking bluish-grey color when alive that fades quickly. The finetooth shark is relatively common in the northern Gulf of Mexico. ![]() However, the easiest characteristic to differentiate between these species is the black coloration on the anal fin of the spinner shark. The spinner shark has a narrower and longer snout than the blacktip which is easily discernible when the fishes are laid side-by-side. The spinner shark, another common shark, is very similar to the blacktip shark and these species are often confused by fishers. Image credit, Eric Hoffmayer, NMFS, Pascagoula. It is often confused with the spinner shark but the spinner shark typically has black pigment on its anal fin. The blacktip shark may be the second most common shark in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Image credit, Apex Predators Program, NOAA/NEFSC. No other shark in our area has white spots along its back and flanks. If the shark is less than about 2 feet and is not a hammerhead shark, it is undoubtedly a sharpnose shark. These sharks, along with 5 or 6 other species, are often called “sand sharks”. It is small, growing to only about 4 feet in length. The Atlantic sharpnose shark is the most common inshore species in many areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Non-Ridgeback Sharks Common Inshore Sharks
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