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The shark species "Grey nurse shark"

Photo
Grey nurse shark
Grey nurse shark
Photo © BluePlanetArchive.com

Photo © BluePlanetArchive.com

Range Map
North America South America Africa Australia Europe Asia
North America South America Africa Australia Europe Asia
Grey nurse shark

Rough area of distribution

Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Animals (Animalia)
Phylum:
Vertebrates (Chordata)
Class:
Cartilagenous fishes (Chondrichthyes)
Order:
Mackerel sharks (Lamniformes)
Family:
Sandtiger sharks (Odontaspididae)
Genus:
Carcharias
Names
Scientific:
Carcharias taurus
Synonym:
Odontaspis taurus
English:
Grey nurse shark , Sandtiger shark
German:
Sandtigerhai
French:
Requin taureau
Spanish:
Toro bacota
Appearance
Large shark with a flattened-conical snout. Body is compressed-cylindrical and moderately stout. First and second dorsal fin are equal sized with a broad base. Origin of first dorsal fin well behind the free rear ends of the pectoral fins. Origin of second dorsal fin slightly ahead of anal fin"s origin. Anal fin is approximately the same size as the two dorsal fins. Upper caudal pit is present. Teeth are very prominent, with large narrow cusps and lateral cusplets.
Coloration
Light brown upper body, white ventral. Often has darker reddish or somewhat brownish spots scattered over the body.
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Gulf of Maine to Florida, northern Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Bermuda, southern Brazil to Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: Mediterranean to Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Senegal, Ghana, southern Nigeria to Cameroon. Western Indian Ocean: South Africa to southern Mozambique, Red Sea, India. Western Pacific: Vietnam, Japan, China, Australia.
Biology
A common species that lives in wide environmental conditions, from shallow bays to more than 190 m depths over the outer shelves. They often occur around coral and rocky reefs, and are found near the bottom but also in midwater or at the surface. This shark can live solitary as well as in small and large schools. This shark gulps air in order to be neutrally buoyant.
Diet
Feeds on a large variety of bony fishes, as well as small sharks, squids and lobsters. These sharks have been observed to feed cooperatively, surrounding and bunching schooling prey and then feeding on them.
Size
Maximum size about 320 cm, average size between 250 and 280 cm.
Reproduction
Aplacental viviparous species (ovoviviparous). This species possesses intra-uterine cannibalism where embryos feed on other embryos and egg capsules. This makes them much bigger at the time of birth (and already experienced in feeding). Therefore litter size is always 2 pups, one in each uterine compartment. Size at birth about 95 to 100 cm. Males and females reach sexual maturity with a minimum length of about 220 cm. Gestation period may be 8 to 9 months. Sandtiger sharks show mating aggregations.
Similar Species
Indian Sand tiger but that species has a broader snout. Otherwise very similar and taxonomic features have to be used to clearly distinguish.
Vulnerability
Category: Critically Endangered (CR)
Criteria: A2bd
Last evaluated: 2021
Trend: Decreasing




© IUCN Red List 2024. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Version 2024-2.

Danger to Humans
Harmless.

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