Tawny nurse shark
📖 Overview
Found on continental and insular shelves, from the intertidal down to at least 70 m . Occurs on or near the bottom in lagoons or along the outer edges of coral and rocky reefs, sandy areas near reefs and off sandy beaches . Primarily nocturnal, but may be active during the day . Prefers crevices and caves on reefs but may be found hiding in more exposed areas . Forms resting aggregations, and often seen piled across or on top of one another . Feeds on a wide variety of bottom invertebrates, small fishes , including cephalopods, crustaceans and sea urchins , corals . Docile and known to allow itself to be touched, but a few non-fatal attacks have been recorded . Ovoviviparous . 4 or more young are born per litter . Survives in captivity . Marketed fresh and dried-salted; fins dried for the oriental sharkfin trade; liver processed for vitamins and oil; offal processed for fishmeal; hide potentially valuable for leather .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. This large, bulky nurse shark is distinguished by the following features: side of body without lateral ridges; precaudal tail shorter than trunk; spiracles much smaller than eyes; nostrils close to front of snout, with short barbels and nasoral grooves connecting them with the mouth but without circumnarial grooves and folds; snout wedge-shaped in lateral view; two dorsal fins, both with angular apices, the origin of the first about over the pelvic-fin origins and its insertion slightly behind the pelvic-fin insertions; second dorsal fin slightly smaller than first; caudal fin about 1/3 of total length, strongly asymmetrical. Colour tan dorsally, paler ventrally and fins slightly dusky .: elongated; Cross section: angular.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Tawny nurse shark is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
The tawny nurse shark may be one of the few fishes specializing in preying on octopus. Other known food items include corals, sea urchins, crustaceans (e.g. crabs and lobsters), squid, small fishes (e.g. surgeonfish, queenfish, and rabbitfish), and the occasional sea snake. Hunting tawny nurse sharks swim slowly just above the sea floor, poking their heads into depressions and holes. When a prey item is found, the shark forcefully expands its large, muscular pharynx, creating a powerful negative pressure that sucks the prey into its mouth.
🥚 Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, with number of young at least four per uterus ; gives birth to litters of at about 8 pups. Described as an oviparous or post-oviparous shark that retains the egg-cases until they hatch and the young are born. Size at birth 40 cm (TL, Ref.58048) to 60 cm . Also Ref. 205.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 70 m , usually 5 - 30 m . Tropical; 36°N - 27°S, 32°E - 136°W East Africa to the Tuamoto Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia.
🌿 Ecology
a wide variety of bottom invertebrates, small fishes (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
⚠️ Venom Profile
- immediate intense pain
- swelling
- erythema
- occasional nausea and weakness
Analgesia; wound care; tetanus prophylaxis; severe cases may require monitoring for systemic effects.
References: Compiled from Bhide (2018), Halstead et al. (1988) and family-specific envenomation literature
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Tawny nurse shark is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 19.7 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 74 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Tawny nurse shark has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | giant sleepy shark · Madame X · Nurse Shark, Tawny Nurse Shark · rusty catshark · rusty shark · sleepy shark · spitting shark · Tawny nurse shark · tawny shark |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | قِرش رضيع أشقر |
| 🇫🇷French | Requin dormeur, Requin nourrice · Requin nourrice fauve · Requin nourrice, Requin dormeur · roussette ferrugineuse |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | ô-tenjikuzame · Otenjikuzame · オオテンジクザメ |
| 🌍MLG | yahiya |
| 🌍SIN | be kal mora |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | gata nodriza atezada |
| 🌍TAH | ma'o rohoi |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 翅沙 · 褐色護士鯊 · 鏽鬚鯊 · 長尾光鱗鯊 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginglymostoma concolor | Rüppell | 1837 | Synonym |
| Ginglymostoma ferruginaea | Lesson | 1831 | Synonym |
| Ginglymostoma ferrugineum | Lesson | 1831 | Synonym |
| Ginglymostoma muelleri | Günther | 1870 | Synonym |
| Ginglymostoma rueppellii | Bleeker | 1852 | Synonym |
| Nebrius concolor | Rüppell | 1837 | Synonym |
| Nebrius doldi | Smith | 1953 | Synonym |
| Nebrius macrurus | Garman | 1913 | Synonym |
| Nebrodes concolor | Rüppell, 1835- | 1838 | Synonym |
| Nebrodes concolor ogilbyi | Whitley | 1934 | Synonym |
| Nebrodes macrurus | Garman | 1913 | Synonym |
| Scyllium ferrugineum | Lesson | 1831 | Synonym |
| Scymnus porosus | Ehrenberg | 1871 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 1 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Tawny nurse shark ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.