The known range of the smalltail shark extends from the northern Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil, excluding the Caribbean islands (aside from Trinidad and Tobago). Its center of abundance is along the northern Brazilian coast, off Pará and Maranhão, where it is the most common shark. This species has not been reported east of the Mississippi River in the past 50 years, despite historical evidence of a nursery area off Louisiana.
The smalltail shark's range extends from the northern Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil, excluding the Caribbean islands (except Trinidad and Tobago). Its center of abundance is along the northern Brazilian coast, off Pará and Maranhão, where it is the most common shark. This species has not been documented east of the Mississippi River in the past 50 years, despite historical evidence of a nursery area off Louisiana.