Feb 24

Lemon Shark

NEXT UP: the type of lemons you want life to give you- Lemon Sharks! Now we got the jokes out of the way, let's dive into this cool shark species and what makes it so special.

FAMILY: Carcharhinidae

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Negaprion brevirostris

COMMON NAMES: Lemon Shark

TYPE: Fish

IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (assessed 2020)

SIZE:

These sharks average 8-10 ft and can weigh over 500lbs. Male lemon sharks mature at about 7ft and females around 7.8ft.

DID YOU KNOW:

The lemon shark gets its name from its pale yellow-brown coloring- the ideal camouflage against the sandy in-shore areas they prefer

AVERAGE LIFE SPAN:

This shark species lives up to 27+ years and reach sexual maturity around 12 years of age.

Lemons are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young after a gestation period of about 12months. Mating occurs in shallow areas (mangroves, lagoons, bays) during the spring and summer months and female lemon sharks return to shallow nursery areas to give birth to litters that range from 4-17 pups. The young sharks that are born will remain in these nursery grounds for several years where they are better protected from predators and can find prey more easily.

NOW WATCHING:

DISTRIBUTION:

Lemon sharks are founf in subtropical and tropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

This shark is commonly found in subtropical shallow water to depths of 300 feet (90 m). They occur around coral reefs, mangroves, enclosed bays, sounds and river mouths. Lemon sharks can also be found in oceanic water when migrating but tend to stay along the continental and insular shelves.

DIET:

Lemon sharks are nocturnal predators commonly found swimming over sandy or muddy bottoms. They are known to be most active close to inshore areas where they search for prey: around docks, in saltwater creeks, estuaries, bays and inlets.

Their flattened head and short snout, make lemon sharks skillful predators of bony fish and crustaceans- their main prey items. However, they have also been known to dine on ray and smaller shark species, sea birds and mollusks.

Interestingly, lemon sharks are often seen in congregations of 20+ individuals where they feed together at dusk and dawn. During the day they may be seen 'resting' on the seafloor awaiting smaller fish to clean off parasites from their body, however that does take more energy than swimming as lemon sharks must continually pump water over their gills to breathe.

DID YOU KNOW:

The lemon shark’s retina is equipped with a specialized horizontal band, or “visual streak,” that allows the shark to see fine detail and color when underwater

CONSERVATION:

This species is targeted by commercial and recreational fisheries worldwide. In the US, bottom longline fisheries commonly target this species and it is caught as by-catch in both pelagic and gill net fisheries. Shark meat is consumed in Central America, South America and the US with their fins being highly prized and exported to Asia for shark fin soup. Additionally, their skin is used for leather as well as sharks around the world being impacted by climate change and the ripple effects of human-caused disasters (various forms of pollution, habitat destruction, etc.).

Currently, there are no management plans in place specifically for this species however, lemon sharks are prohibited from being harvested in state waters of Florida, where most of their US habitat occurs. Advocacy for marine protected areas (MPAs) are vital for protecting not only marine species like the lemon shark, but local coastal communities as well as their capacity to boost economy.

Lemon sharks are known to do well in captivity, and juvenile individuals are a favorite subjects for physiological and behavioral studies.

Lemon sharks are considered little threat to humans. As they inhabit coastal waters, close to shore and are often in the proximity of swimmers, surfers and divers which can lead to encounters. According to the ISAF, there have been only 10 unprovoked attacks, and no fatalities by lemon sharks- all occurring in Florida and the Caribbean.