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Ginglymostoma cirratum
Nurse Shark
Florida native
A common shark of warm shallow sand flats, channels and coral reefs. The young can be found among red mangrove roots.
Nurse sharks can be up to 4.3 m (14 ft.) long and 100 kg (220 lbs.) in weight and are yellow-brown to gray-brown in color. They have barbels between the nostrils and the eyes are well above and behind the mouth. The pectoral (front side) fins are broadly rounded and much larger than the pelvic or ventral fins. The dorsal (top) fin is well back on the body. The caudal (tail) fin is fairly long, typically one-quarter the total length of the shark.
Ginglymostoma cirratum is a member of the Ginglymostomatidae - Nurse Sharks family.
For more information on this species, visit the following link:
MarineBio page for this species
Date record last modified: Jan 13, 2011
