Why is a black tip reef shark called shark?

The black tip reef shark is called a shark because it belongs to the taxonomic class of sharks known as Elasmobranchii. This cartilaginous fish species possesses several distinguishing characteristics, such as a cartilaginous skeleton, a highly developed olfactory system, and specialised dermal denticles called placoid scales. These traits, along with its evolutionary history, classify the black tip reef shark as a shark within the shark family Carcharhinidae.