Blacktip sharks are medium-sized sharks with a distinct, pointed nose. Their name comes from the characteristic black or dark gray coloring on the tips of their dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins. These sharks have large, wide jaws with many teeth to help them eat bony fish and crustaceans.

The blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, which can be easily identified by the prominent black tips on its fins (especially on the first dorsal fin and its caudal fin).