Blacktip reef shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Lemon Shark
Negaprion brevirostris
About
The lemon shark is a large, calm coastal predator, growing to a common length of 240 cm and a maximum of 340 cm. Its yellowish colour is no accident: it works as camouflage over the sandy seafloor it patrols.
Also known as: negaprion brevirostris, requiem shark
- Length
- 2.4 m · max 3.4 m
- Weight
- max 184 kg
- Depth
- up to 92 m
How to tell it apart
The lemon shark is often confused with the bull shark. Its first and second dorsal fins are close to the same size, while the bull shark's second dorsal fin is clearly smaller than its first.
Appearance
The body is brownish with yellow tones and no bold markings, giving it a plain, sandy look. The head is flat with a short, broad snout, and the second dorsal fin is almost as large as the first. Like other sharks, it senses weak electrical signals from prey through pores on its head called the ampullae of Lorenzini.
Habitat
Lives in shallow, warm water over sand or rock, including coral reefs, mangroves, enclosed bays, and river mouths. It also ranges into open water down to about 92 m, mostly while migrating, but spends most of its life along the coast.
Breeding
Lemon sharks gather at set mating grounds, and females give birth to live young in shallow nursery waters they return to again and again. Pups stay in the nursery for several years before moving into deeper water. Females can store sperm for months and often mate with more than one male.
Is it dangerous?
generally not aggressive toward divers — observe calmly
Did you know?
Young lemon sharks are drawn to company, gathering in groups of up to twenty animals sorted roughly by size, a social habit unusual among sharks.
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