Sharks
Nurse Shark
Ginglymostoma cirratum
SaltwaterGinglymostomatidaeLeast Concern
About
Nurse sharks are slow-moving, nocturnal sharks characterized by their stout bodies, broad heads, and distinctive barbels near their nostrils. They are generally docile and often found resting on the seafloor in groups.
- Average size
- 7.5 - 9.8 feet (2.3 - 3 meters)
- Colors
- Tan, yellowish-brown, or grey-brown, sometimes with darker spots when young
- Diet
- Carnivorous, feeding on crustaceans, mollusks, tunicates, and small fish. They use suction feeding to capture prey.
- Region
- Atlantic coast from Rhode Island to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. They are most common in Florida and the Caribbean.