|
Deepseawaters
Home Deep
Sea SharksGrey Nurse Shark
Grey Nurse Shark
Common Name: Grey Nurse Shark
Scientific Name: Carcharias taurus
Introduction
The
Grey Nurse Shark (Carcharias taurus) also
known as the sand tiger shark or spotted
ragged-tooth shark, is one of four species belonging
to the family Odontaspididae. The species has a large, rather
stout body and is coloured grey to grey-brown dorsally, with
a paler off white under belly. Reddish or brownish spots may
occur on the caudal fin and posterior half of the body, particularly
in juveniles. The species has a conical snout, long awl-like
teeth in both jaws (with single lateral cusplets), similarly
sized first and second dorsal fin and an asymmetrical caudal
fin. Grey nurse sharks grow to at least 360
cm total length. The grey nurse shark is
a slow but strong swimmer and is generally more active at
night.
Location or Region Found
Grey
nurse sharks
are often observed just above the sea bed in or near deep
sandy-bottomed gutters or rocky caves, in the vicinity of
inshore rocky reefs and islands
Diet
The
diet of the adult grey nurse shark consists
of a wide range of fish, other sharks, squids, crabs and lobsters.
Grey
nurse sharks have a broad inshore distribution, primarily
in subtropical to cool temperate waters around the main continental
landmasses. In Australia, grey nurse sharks have been regularly
reported from Mooloolaba in southern Queensland, around most
of the southern half of the continent (excluding the Great
Australian Bight), and northward to Shark Bay in Western Australia.
The grey nurse shark has been recorded as
far north as Cairns in the east, the North West Shelf in the
west and also in the Arafura Sea.
 Email
To Friend
|
