r/sharks • u/asystole_unshockable • 14d ago

Education Identification (please don’t laugh)

Please help me settle this debate - this is definitely a dolphin, amirite?

34 Upvotes

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u/psndgrl 14d ago

You can figure out the difference between a shark and a dolphin based on the shape of the dorsal fin - a shark typically has a straight, triangular fin and a dolphin fin is curved. Dolphins also swim in an “up/down” pattern and sharks move side to side so a shark will appear to “glide” across the surface when a dolphin pops up and down :)

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u/Fit_March_4279 14d ago

Where was this info the first time I went surfing and saw a fin swimming towards me? My family always told me if there was one fin, it was a dolphin, so I excitedly waited for it to swim up to me, only to realize it was a juvenile great white shark!! Still larger than my foam core board! Yep, unlike the other surfers, I left the man in the grey suit to enjoy the waves.

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u/asystole_unshockable 14d ago

Whole different kind of excitement!