Creature Feature -Lemon Shark
Lemon sharks are named for their yellow-brown skin, which helps them blend in with the sandy seabeds of the tropical coastal waters they inhabit. In addition to their distinctive colour, lemon sharks can be recognised by their two similarly sized dorsal fins.
During their early years lemon sharks spend much of their time in and around mangrove forests. These habitats provide shelter from large predators and a rich source of food, both of which are essential for pups and juveniles.
Lemon sharks are among the most extensively studied shark species. Research on them has played a key role in changing perceptions about shark behaviour and characteristics.
Like many shark species around the world, lemon sharks are threatened by commercial fisheries targeting their meat, fins, and skin. They are also frequently caught as bycatch. Due to their close association with mangrove forests, they face additional risks from coastal development and mangrove deforestation.
Taxonomy
Scientific Name: Negaorion brevirostris
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Caracharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Lemon Shark Fact File
Size: Up to 3.5 metres
Distribution: Tropical coastal waters of the eastern Pacific and both sides of the Atlantic
Diet: Opportunistic feeders, mainly eating fish, crustaceans, and occasionally smaller lemon sharks
Behaviour: Known to form social bonds, sometimes described as “friendships.” They appear to have individual personalities and are capable of learning from one another
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
