The spinner shark is a long, slender-bodied shark, so named for its habit of leaping from the water, when hooked or pursuing prey, and spinning in mid-air along the axis of its body. This species has greyish-bronze upperparts fading to white on the underside, with a faint white band running along the sides. The fins are slender, with pointed or rounded tips. In some large juveniles and adults, distinctive black or grey tips may be found on the pelvic, dorsal and anal fins, as well as on the upper lobe of the caudal fin.