Nurse Shark

ID points

• A pair of short barbels in front of the nostrils
• The two dorsal fins sit close together, both on the rear half of the body
• Lies motionless in piles in reef caves or on the sand by day

Basics

Family

Ginglymostomatidae

Length

2.0–3.0 m

Depth

0-75 m

Regions

Caribbean & W. Atlantic

Distribution

Shallow tropical rocky reefs and sandy bottoms

Habitat

Shallow reefs, caves and sandy bottoms

Diet

Crustaceans, molluscs, bottom-dwelling fish

Easily confused with

Arrow CrabCarapace a sharp triangle, with a long spiny snoutBrittle StarFive slender arms clearly set off from the central discCatsharkNarrow cat-like eyes with a nictitating membrane

Fun fact

A nurse shark spends the day lying almost motionless under a ledge or inside a cave, pumping water over its gills so that it can breathe without swimming. A pair of short barbels at the snout helps it find prey. It looks docile enough for divers to watch from close range, but a provoked nurse shark bites and does not let go.