Spinner Shark: ID, Size & Spinning Leaps
Carcharhinus brevipinna
Use these resources to learn how to identify a spinner shark, find out what other shark species live in Virginia waters, explore our shark longline data over the years, and find answers to frequently asked questions.
spinner SHARK ID GUIDEOTHER VA SHARKSSHARK DATA APP
Like other large sharks, spinner sharks are seasonal visitors to waters surrounding Virginia Beach. They are known to form schools themselves and often makes vertical spinning leaps through schools of prey fish and out of the water.
Maximum Size
9.8 feet (3.2 meters)
Geographic Range
Inhabit continental and insular shelves from close inshore to offshore in the Western Atlantic from North Carolina to the northern Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas. Spinner sharks are occasionally found in southern Virginia waters.
Diet
Pelagic bony fishes, small sharks, cuttlefish, squids, and octopi.
Depth Range
Depths of 0-300 feet (0-100 meters).