|
Phylum |
Chordata |
 |
|
Class |
Chondrichthyes |
|
|
Order |
Orectolobiformes |
|
|
Family |
Orectolobidae |
Nurse Shark
Ginglymostoma cirratum
|
Phylum |
Chordata |
|
|
Class |
Chondrichthyes |
|
|
Order |
Orectolobiformes |
|
|
Family |
Orectolobidae |
| Common names : | Nurse shark |
| Diet : | Small fish, squid, sea urchins, sea snails, crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans. |
| Reproduction : | Can be either ovoviviparous or oviparous : Females give birth to up to 20 to 30 pups in one go. Very slow growth rate means they do not reach sexual maturity until they are 15-20 years old. |
| Size : | Maximum 3.5 metres Average female 2.5 metres Average male 2.4 metres |
 |
Distribution : East Pacific, Caribbean, West and East Atlantic. Usually found on the bottom, in shallow inshore waters around sandy beaches or mud flats but can also be found at depths of up to 70 metres on coral reefs. |
| Danger to man : | Harmless, although some still believe they will bite if provoked. |
| Economic Importance : | Another popular aquarium species and because of their easy capture and handling, they make an excellent species to study. In some areas the Nurse shark is taken for food, it's skin and also as bait for other sharks. |
| Other Comments : | The Nurse shark is one of the many that can rest on the surface and continue to breathe. It achieves this by pumping water over it's gills. |