The whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) is a species of requiem shark, and the only member of its genus. The whitetip reef shark gets its name because of the white tips on its first dorsal fin and caudal fin. This shark has a slim body, with a short, wide head, a blunt, flattened snout, and oval-shaped eyes. The body is dark grey to brown in colour, and the underside is white.
The whitetip reef shark is widely distributed across the entire Indo-Pacific region, and is common along coral reefs, but is also found over sandy flats, in lagoons, and near drop-offs to deeper water. This species of shark is viviparous, giving birth to 1-5 pups after a gestation period lasting up to 12 months. The whitetip reef shark is currently listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.