The leopard shark is a striking fish, so named for its leopardlike black spots, which run in crossbars across its back and sides over a lighter gray background.
It has an elongate body and a short snout that is bluntly rounded. Attaining lengths of up to 7 feet, the leopard shark inhabits inshore sand flats and rocky areas, often in schools with smoothhound sharks. As a smaller, less aggressive species of shark, it is not considered dangerous.
Females bear live young in moderate numbers, between 4 and 29 at each birth. Found in the eastern Pacific from Oregon to the Gulf of California, the leopard shark is good light-tackle game and very good table fare. It is often sought by commercial fishermen.
