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A blacktip reef shark swimming just beneath the surface in blue water, showing its darker back, pale belly and black fin tips.
Look closely. Let the image settle.
Animal camouflage / Natural adaptation

Reef Shark — Dark Above, Light Below

The same shark presents a dark back from above and a pale belly from below.

TRY THIS

Trace the change from the darker back to the white belly. Imagine looking down through the water, then looking up towards the surface.

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History, evidence & image credit

THE IMAGE IN THIS ARCHIVE

Charles J. Sharp

Original file & attribution · CC BY-SA 4.0

This locally stored image is a Wikimedia Commons rendition (resized or rendered from the source file). The full original is linked from the source record. Gallery previews may be resized or converted to WebP; animated previews show the first frame.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Reef Shark — Dark Above, Light Below?

The same shark presents a dark back from above and a pale belly from below.

What should I look for in Reef Shark — Dark Above, Light Below?

Trace the change from the darker back to the white belly. Imagine looking down through the water, then looking up towards the surface.

What explains Reef Shark — Dark Above, Light Below?

A dark back can reduce contrast against darker water when seen from above. A pale underside can reduce contrast against the brighter water surface when seen from below. The effect depends on lighting, water and viewing direction; the shark remains visible in this side view.

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A blacktip reef shark swimming just beneath the surface in blue water, showing its darker back, pale belly and black fin tips.

Reef Shark — Dark Above, Light Below