Photos posted on Facebook appear to show two shark fins just off the beach in Belmar.
BELMAR -- An official in this Jersey Shore borough says fins spotted in the shallow waters off the beach Wednesday were from a ray -- but a shark expert disagrees.
Social media photos making their way around the Internet show what appears to be two shark fins poking through the surface of the ocean in Belmar.
Belmar Mayor Matthew Doherty said the fins are from a bullnose ray.
The Florida Museum of Natural History says bullnose rays enjoy flapping around in shallow bodies of water.
"They are mostly harmless to humans but should be handled with caution because of the sharp spine at the base of the whip-like tail," says the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Erich Ritter, a research associate with the University of West Florida, said there's "no way" those fins are from a bullnose ray.
"The Facebook pics of the Belmar shots are from a Carcharhinus species," Ritter said. "These are not rays but the common garden variety of sharks."
He said these species, which are typically smaller, usually take off when approached by a person.
It is not uncommon for sharks to swim in the waters along the Jersey coast.
A small group of young sharks were spotted near the ocean in Monmouth Beach Tuesday morning.
And sometimes even the infamous Great White species makes a trip to the Jersey Shore. Mary Lee, a Great White shark tracked by a research group, has made many stops along the Jersey coast in the past couple years.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include information from a shark expert who looked at the Facebook photos.
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.