List of sharks in California

There are numerous species of sharks found in the Pacific Ocean; of these sharks, 36 ^[1] have habitat ranges throughout the coastlines and surrounding waters of California, as identified below. Identifications include common names; scientific names; the taxonomic rank, family; conservation statuses according to IUCN; and an image.

Common Name [1] [2]	Scientific Name [1] [2]	Family [1] [2]	Conservation Status (IUCN)	Image
Common thresher	Alopias vulpinus	Alopiidae	Vulnerable [3]	Common thresher caught off the coast of Southern California
Bigeye thresher	Alopias superciliosus	Alopiidae	Vulnerable [4]	Bigeye thresher
Leopard shark	Triakis semifasciata	Carcharhinidae	Least concern [5]	Leopard shark in kelp with two blacksmith damselfish
Gray smoothhound	Mustelus californicus	Carcharhinidae	Least concern [6]	Gray Smoothhound at the Central Coast Aquarium
Brown smoothhound	Mustelus henlei	Carcharhinidae	Least concern [7]	Brown smoothhound
Sicklefin smoothhound	Mustelus lunulatus	Carcharhinidae	Least concern [8]	Sicklefin smoothhound
Tiger shark	Galeocerdo cuvier	Carcharhinidae	Near threatened [9]	Tiger shark
Oceanic whitetip shark	Carcharhinus longimanus	Carcharhinidae	Critically endangered [10]	Oceanic whitetip shark with some pilot fish
Blue shark	Prionace glauca	Carcharhinidae	Near threatened [11]	Blue shark
Pacific sharpnose shark	Rhizoprionodon longurio	Carcharhinidae	Vulnerable [12]	Pacific sharpnose shark
Dusky shark	Carcharhinus obscurus	Carcharhinidae	Endangered [13]	Dusky shark with a cobia at SeaWorld
Bull shark	Carcharhinus leucas	Carcharhinidae	Vulnerable [14]	Bull sharks
Copper shark	Carcharhinus brachyurus	Carcharhinidae	Vulnerable [15]	Copper shark
Basking shark	Cetorhinus maximus	Cetorhinidae	Endangered [16]	Basking shark
Frilled shark	Chlamydoselachus anguineus	Chlamydoselachidae	Least concern [17]	Frilled shark in Aquarium Tropical at Palais de la Porte Dorée
Horn shark	Heterodontus francisci	Heterodontidae	Data Deficient [18]	Horn shark at Monterey Bay Aquarium
Sevengill shark	Notorynchus cepedianus	Hexanchidae	Vulnerable [19]	Sevengill shark at Monterey Bay Aquarium
Bluntnose sixgill shark	Hexanchus griseus	Hexanchidae	Near threatened [20]	Bluntnose sixgill shark
White shark	Carcharodon carcharias	Lamnidae	Vulnerable [21]	White shark
Shortfin mako shark	Isurus oxyrinchus	Lamnidae	Endangered [22]	Shortfin Mako shark
Salmon shark	Lamna ditropis	Lamnidae	Least concern [23]	Salmon shark
Smalltooth sand tiger	Odontaspis ferox	Odontaspididae	Vulnerable [24]	Smalltooth sand tiger at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park
Whale shark	Rhincodon typus	Rhincodontidae	Endangered [25]	Whale shark at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Brown catshark	Apristurus brunneus	Scyliorhinidae	Data Deficient [26]	Brown catshark with a shortspine thornyhead
Longnose catshark	Apristurus kampae	Scyliorhinidae	Data Deficient [27]
Swell shark	Cephaloscyllium ventriosum	Scyliorhinidae	Least concern [28]	Juvenile Swell shark at Cabrillo Aquarium
Filetail catshark	Parmaturus xaniurus	Scyliorhinidae	Least concern [29]	Filetail catshark
Smooth hammerhead	Sphyrna zygaena	Sphyrnidae	Vulnerable [30]	Smooth hammerhead at Aqua World Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium
Bonnethead	Sphyrna tiburo	Sphyrnidae	Endangered [31]	Bonnethead at Aquarium of the Pacific
Scalloped hammerhead	Sphyrna lewini	Sphyrnidae	Critically endangered [32]	Scalloped hammerhead
Spiny dogfish	Squalus acanthias	Squalidae	Vulnerable [33]	Spiny Dogfish
Pacific sleeper shark	Somniosus pacificus	Squalidae	Near threatened [34]	Pacific Sleeper shark from NOAA's 2017 CAPSTONE expedition
Pygmy shark	Euprotomicrus bispinatus	Squalidae	Least concern [35]	Pygmy shark
Prickly shark	Echinorhinus cookei	Squalidae	Data Deficient [36]	Prickly shark
Pacific angelshark	Squatina californica	Squatinidae	Near threatened [37]	Pacific angelshark
Soupfin shark (also called tope shark or school shark)	Galeorhinus galeus	Triakidae	Critically endangered [38]	Soupfin shark at Aquarium of the Bay

References

1. Miller, D. J, & Lea, R. N. (1972). Fish Bulletin 157. Guide To The Coastal Marine Fishes of California. UC San Diego: Library – Scripps Digital Collection. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6s04v367
2. "sharks Species Profiles", Discover Fishes, retrieved October 25, 2023
3. "Alopias vulpinus: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Fernando, D., Carlson, J., Charles, R., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A., Pacoureau, N., Romanov, E., Sherley, R.B. & Winker, H", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T39339A212641186.en
4. "Alopias superciliosus: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A., Pacoureau, N., Romanov, E., Sherley, R.B. & Winker, H", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T161696A894216.en , S2CID   239785037
5. "Triakis semifasciata: Carlisle, A.B., Smith, S.E., Launer, A.L. & White, C.F.", IUCN Red List, 2014, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T39363A80672743.en
6. "Mustelus californicus: Pérez-Jiménez, J., Vásquez, V.E., Chabot, C.L. & Ebert, D.A.", IUCN Red List, 2014, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T161334A80672080.en
7. "Mustelus henlei: Pérez-Jiménez, J., Carlisle, A.B., Chabot, C.L., Vásquez, V.E. & Ebert, D.A.", IUCN Red List, 2014, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T161648A80672263.en
8. "Mustelus lunulatus: Pérez-Jiménez, J., White, C.F., Ruiz, C., Carlisle, A.B. & Lowe, C.G", IUCN Red List, 2015, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T161640A80672480.en
9. "Galeocerdo cuvier: Ferreira, L.C. & Simpfendorfer, C", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T39378A2913541.en , S2CID   240320973
10. "Carcharhinus longimanus: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A., Pacoureau, N., Romanov, E., Sherley, R.B. & Winker, H", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T39374A2911619.en , S2CID   239816770
11. "Prionace glauca: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A., Pacoureau, N., Romanov, E., Sherley, R.B. & Winker, H", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T39381A2915850.en , S2CID   239779254
12. "Rhizoprionodon longurio: Pollom, R., Avalos, C., Bizzarro, J., Burgos-Vázquez, M.I., Cevallos, A., Espinoza, M., González, A., Mejía-Falla, P.A., Morales-Saldaña, J.M., Navia, A.F., Pérez Jiménez, J.C., Sosa-Nishizaki, O. & Velez-Zuazo, X", IUCN Red List, 2019, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161662A124524022.en , S2CID   241212316
13. "Carcharhinus obscurus: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A., Pacoureau, N., Romanov, E., Sherley, R.B. & Winker, H", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T3852A2872747.en , S2CID   239774039
14. "Carcharhinus leucas: Rigby, C.L., Espinoza, M., Derrick, D., Pacoureau, N. & Dicken, M", IUCN Red List, 2020, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T39372A2910670.en
15. "Carcharhinus brachyurus: Huveneers, C., Rigby, C.L., Dicken, M., Pacoureau, N. & Derrick, D", IUCN Red List, 2020, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T41741A2954522.en , S2CID   240959902
16. "Cetorhinus maximus: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A., Romanov, E. & Kyne, P.M.", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T4292A194720078.en
17. "Chlamydoselachus anguineus: Smart, J.J., Paul, L.J. & Fowler, S.L.", IUCN Red List, 2015, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41794A68617785.en
18. "Heterodontus francisci: Carlisle, A.B.", IUCN Red List, 2014, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T39333A80671300.en
19. "Notorynchus cepedianus: Finucci, B., Barnett, A., Cheok, J., Cotton, C.F., Kulka, D.W., Neat, F.C., Pacoureau, N., Rigby, C.L., Tanaka, S. & Walker, T.I.", IUCN Red List, 2015, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T39324A2896914.en
20. "Hexanchus griseus: Finucci, B., Barnett, A., Bineesh, K.K., Cheok, J., Cotton, C.F., Dharmadi, Graham, K.J., Kulka, D.W., Neat, F.C., Pacoureau, N., Rigby, C.L., Tanaka, S. & Walker, T.I.", IUCN Red List, 2019, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T10030A495630.en , S2CID   243600010
21. "Carcharodon carcharias: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Jones, G.C.A., Liu, K.M., Lowe, C.G, Marshall, A., Pacoureau, N., Romanov, E., Sherley, R.B. & Winker, H", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T3855A212629880.en
22. "Isurus oxyrinchus: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A., Pacoureau, N., Romanov, E., Sherley, R.B. & Winker, H", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T39341A2903170.en
23. "Lamna ditropis: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A. & Romanov, E", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T39342A124402990.en , S2CID   239818664
24. "Odontaspis ferox: Graham, K.J., Pollard, D.A., Gordon, I., Williams, S., Flaherty, A.A., Fergusson, I. & Dicken, M", IUCN Red List, 2015, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41876A2957320.en
25. "Rhincodon typus: Pierce, S.J. & Norman, B", IUCN Red List, 2016, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T19488A2365291.en
26. "Apristurus brunneus: Huveneers, C., Duffy, C.A.J., Cordova, J. & Ebert, D.A.", IUCN Red List, 2014, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T44209A80671448.en
27. "Apristurus kampae: Huveneers, C., Duffy, C.A.J., Cordova, J. & Ebert, D.A.", IUCN Red List, 2014, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T44215A80671609.en
28. "Cephaloscyllium ventriosum: Villavicencio-Garayzar, C.J., White, C.F. & Lowe, C.G", IUCN Red List, 2015, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T60227A80671800.en
29. "Parmaturus xaniurus: Flammang, B.E., Cailliet, G.M. & Ebert, D.A.", IUCN Red List, 2014, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T60231A80671960.en
30. "Sphyrna zygaena: Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A., Pacoureau, N., Romanov, E., Sherley, R.B. & Winker, H", IUCN Red List, 2018, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T39388A2921825.en , S2CID   239855192
31. "Sphyrna tiburo: Pollom, R., Carlson, J., Charvet, P., Avalos, C., Bizzarro, J., Blanco-Parra, MP, Briones Bell-lloch, A., Burgos-Vázquez, M.I., Cardenosa, D., Cevallos, A., Derrick, D., Espinoza, E., Espinoza, M., Mejía-Falla, P.A., Morales-Saldaña, J.M., Navia, A.F., Pacoureau, N., Pérez Jiménez, J.C. & Sosa-Nishizaki, O", IUCN Red List, 2019, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T39387A205765567.en
32. Rigby, C.L., Dulvy, N.K., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A., Pacoureau, N., Romanov, E., Sherley, R.B. & Winker, H. 2019. Sphyrna lewini. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T39385A2918526. Accessed on 25 October 2023.
33. "Squalus acanthias: Finucci, B., Cheok, J., Chiaramonte, G.E., Cotton, C.F., Dulvy, N.K., Kulka, D.W., Neat, F.C., Pacoureau, N., Rigby, C.L., Tanaka, S. & Walker, T.I.", IUCN Red List, 2019, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T91209505A124551959.en , hdl: 11336/150237 , S2CID   243438460
34. "Somniosus pacificus: Rigby, C.L., Derrick, D., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ho, H., Hsu, H., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Pacoureau, N., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A", IUCN Red List, 2019, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T161403A887942.en , S2CID   241639930
35. "Euprotomicrus bispinatus: Burgess, G.H.", IUCN Red List, 2015, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T60210A3093076.en
36. "Echinorhinus cookei: Finucci, B", IUCN Red List, 2017, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T41802A68622003.en
37. "Squatina californica: Cailliet, G.M., Chabot, C.L., Nehmens, M.C. & Carlisle, A.B.", IUCN Red List, 2014, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T39328A177163701.en
38. "Galeorhinus galeus: Walker, T.I., Rigby, C.L., Pacoureau, N., Ellis, J., Kulka, D.W., Chiaramonte, G.E. & Herman, K", IUCN Red List, 2020, doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T39352A2907336.en , S2CID   242117198