# Grey reef shark (*Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/grey-reef-shark  
Data as of: 2026-11-13

The grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) is a fish in the sharks and rays group, belonging to the family Carcharhinidae in the order Carcharhiniformes. It is listed as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List in a global assessment, which is an IUCN threatened category. Its scientific name carries the authority (Bleeker, 1856), and other English names for it include School shark, Graceful shark, Gray reef shark, Black-vee whaler and Grey whaler shark.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | up to 33.7 kg |
| Length | up to 2.32 m |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | arthropods, vertebrates |
| Habitat | coastal, coral_reef |
| Gestation | 274 days – 426 days |
| Young per litter or clutch | 1 – 6 |
| Age at maturity | 7 years |
| Reproduction | Live birth |
| Conservation status | Endangered (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Elasmobranchii
- order: Carcharhiniformes
- family: Carcharhinidae
- genus: Carcharhinus
- species: *Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos* (Bleeker, 1856)

Synonyms: *Carcharhinus amblyrhinchos*, *Carcharhinus amblyrhynchus*, *Carcharhinus spallanzani*, *Carcharhinus wheeleri*, *Carcharias amblyrhynchos*, *Carcharias nesiotes*, *Carcharinus amblyrhynchos*, *Carcharinus amblyrhynchus*, *Carcharinus amblyrhyncus*, *Galeolamna coongoola*, *Galeolamna fowleri*, *Galeolamna tufiensis*, *Galeolomna fowleri*

## Common questions

### Is the grey reef shark endangered?

Yes. The grey reef shark is listed as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List in a global assessment, which is an IUCN threatened category.

### What kind of animal is the grey reef shark?

The grey reef shark is a fish in the sharks and rays group, classified in the class Elasmobranchii.

### What is the scientific name of the grey reef shark?

The scientific name of the grey reef shark is Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, placing it in the genus Carcharhinus.

### Who named the grey reef shark and when?

The scientific name Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos is attributed to (Bleeker, 1856).

### What family does the grey reef shark belong to?

The grey reef shark belongs to the family Carcharhinidae, in the order Carcharhiniformes.

### What are other names for the grey reef shark?

Other English names for the grey reef shark are School shark, Graceful shark, Gray reef shark, Black-vee whaler and Grey whaler shark.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Sharkipedia: a curated open access database of shark and ray life history traits](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6656525), CC BY 4.0, 1.0-2022-06-17. Mull, C.G., Pacoureau, N., Pardo, S.A. et al. (2022) Sharkipedia: a curated open access database of shark and ray life history traits and abundance time-series. Scientific Data 9: 559. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01655-1. Data: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6656525
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/grey-reef-shark