Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Negaprion brevirostris
- Common name
- Lemon shark
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Carcharhinidae
- Genus
- Negaprion
- Size
- 200–340 cm
- Depth
- 0–92 m
- IUCN status
- Vulnerable (VU)
- Danger level
- Caution
- Habitats
- reef, mangrove, sand
- Behaviours
- schooling, nocturnal
- Ocean zones
- Caribbean, Macaronesia, Eastern Pacific
Description
Negaprion brevirostris reaches 3.4 m. Yellow-brown to beige body (hence lemon), short rounded snout, two nearly equal-sized dorsal fins. Heavily studied in behavioral biology: memory, individual recognition, site fidelity. Uses mangroves as nursery. Famous aggregations at Bimini (Bahamas). Potentially dangerous due to size but rarely involved in incidents. IUCN Vulnerable.
Photo of Lemon shark
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Lemon shark?
- Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) reaches 200–340 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Lemon shark?
- Lemon shark is found between 0–92 m deep.
- Is the Lemon shark dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Caution.
- What is the conservation status of the Lemon shark?
- IUCN status: Vulnerable (VU).
- Where can you find the Lemon shark?
- Found in: Caribbean, Macaronesia, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Negaprion
Other species in the family Carcharhinidae
- Carcharhinus melanopterus - Blacktip reef shark
- Carcharhinus perezi - Caribbean reef shark
- Carcharhinus falciformis - Silky shark
- Prionace glauca - Blue shark
- Carcharhinus obscurus - Dusky shark
- Carcharhinus longimanus - Oceanic whitetip shark
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 105800)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2417919)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia