Indo-Pacific: Madagascar and the Mauritius-Seychelles area, possibly India; also Red Sea to South Africa if Carcharhinus wheeleri is synonymized with this species. In the Pacific, it ranges from southern China to northern Australia and the Tuamoto Archipelago.

Dark grey or bronze-grey above, white below; caudal fin with a conspicuous wide black posterior margin; undersides of pectoral and pelvic fins with black tips and posterior margins, but fins otherwise not conspicuously black or white-tipped except for white-tipped first dorsal in some individuals.

Occurs on continental and insular shelves and oceanic waters adjacent to them. Common on coral reefs, often in deeper areas near drop-offs to the open sea, in atoll passes, and in shallow lagoons adjacent to areas of strong currents.