# List of sharks in California

There are numerous species of sharks found in the Pacific Ocean; of these sharks, 36 have habitat ranges throughout the coastlines and surrounding waters of California, as identified below. Identifications include common names; scientific names; the taxonomic rank, family; conservation statuses according to IUCN; and an image.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Family | Conservation Status (IUCN) | Image |
| Common thresher | Alopias vulpinus | Alopiidae | Vulnerable | Common thresher caught off the coast of Southern California |
| Bigeye thresher | Alopias superciliosus | Alopiidae | Vulnerable | Bigeye thresher |
| Leopard shark | Triakis semifasciata | Carcharhinidae | Least concern | Leopard shark in kelp with two blacksmith damselfish |
| Gray smoothhound | Mustelus californicus | Carcharhinidae | Least concern | Gray Smoothhound at the Central Coast Aquarium |
| Brown smoothhound | Mustelus henlei | Carcharhinidae | Least concern | Brown smoothhound |
| Sicklefin smoothhound | Mustelus lunulatus | Carcharhinidae | Least concern | Sicklefin smoothhound |
| Tiger shark | Galeocerdo cuvier | Carcharhinidae | Near threatened | Tiger shark |
| Oceanic whitetip shark | Carcharhinus longimanus | Carcharhinidae | Critically endangered | Oceanic whitetip shark with some pilot fish |
| Blue shark | Prionace glauca | Carcharhinidae | Near threatened | Blue shark |
| Pacific sharpnose shark | Rhizoprionodon longurio | Carcharhinidae | Vulnerable | Pacific sharpnose shark |
| Dusky shark | Carcharhinus obscurus | Carcharhinidae | Endangered | Dusky shark with a cobia at SeaWorld |
| Bull shark | Carcharhinus leucas | Carcharhinidae | Vulnerable | Bull sharks |
| Copper shark | Carcharhinus brachyurus | Carcharhinidae | Vulnerable | Copper shark |
| Basking shark | Cetorhinus maximus | Cetorhinidae | Endangered | Basking shark |
| Frilled shark | Chlamydoselachus anguineus | Chlamydoselachidae | Least concern | Frilled shark in Aquarium Tropical at Palais de la Porte Dorée |
| Horn shark | Heterodontus francisci | Heterodontidae | Data Deficient | Horn shark at Monterey Bay Aquarium |
| Sevengill shark | Notorynchus cepedianus | Hexanchidae | Vulnerable | Sevengill shark at Monterey Bay Aquarium |
| Bluntnose sixgill shark | Hexanchus griseus | Hexanchidae | Near threatened | Bluntnose sixgill shark |
| White shark | Carcharodon carcharias | Lamnidae | Vulnerable | White shark |
| Shortfin mako shark | Isurus oxyrinchus | Lamnidae | Endangered | Shortfin Mako shark |
| Salmon shark | Lamna ditropis | Lamnidae | Least concern | Salmon shark |
| Smalltooth sand tiger | Odontaspis ferox | Odontaspididae | Vulnerable | Smalltooth sand tiger at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park |
| Whale shark | Rhincodon typus | Rhincodontidae | Endangered | Whale shark at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary |
| Brown catshark | Apristurus brunneus | Scyliorhinidae | Data Deficient | Brown catshark with a shortspine thornyhead |
| Longnose catshark | Apristurus kampae | Scyliorhinidae | Data Deficient | |
| Swell shark | Cephaloscyllium ventriosum | Scyliorhinidae | Least concern | Juvenile Swell shark at Cabrillo Aquarium |
| Filetail catshark | Parmaturus xaniurus | Scyliorhinidae | Least concern | Filetail catshark |
| Smooth hammerhead | Sphyrna zygaena | Sphyrnidae | Vulnerable | Smooth hammerhead at Aqua World Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium |
| Bonnethead | Sphyrna tiburo | Sphyrnidae | Endangered | Bonnethead at Aquarium of the Pacific |
| Scalloped hammerhead | Sphyrna lewini | Sphyrnidae | Critically endangered | Scalloped hammerhead |
| Spiny dogfish | Squalus acanthias | Squalidae | Vulnerable | Spiny Dogfish |
| Pacific sleeper shark | Somniosus pacificus | Squalidae | Near threatened | Pacific Sleeper shark from NOAA's 2017 CAPSTONE expedition |
| Pygmy shark | Euprotomicrus bispinatus | Squalidae | Least concern | Pygmy shark |
| Prickly shark | Echinorhinus cookei | Squalidae | Data Deficient | Prickly shark |
| Pacific angelshark | Squatina californica | Squatinidae | Near threatened | Pacific angelshark |
| Soupfin shark | Galeorhinus galeus | Triakidae | Critically endangered | Soupfin shark at Aquarium of the Bay |