

#Lemon shark skin#
Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean coast, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean, this shark is still highly sought after for the products made from its body.įor instance, lemon shark skin is commonly used for leather and its meat is considered “firm and tasty,” a delicacy in many regions. That’s because its meat, liver, skin, and fins are highly valued commercially. Although it’s currently not considered to be under risk of extinction, it still shares some threats with other shark species of similar size. The exact population trend of the lemon shark is currently unknown. Other members of the group will quickly swarm to eat. Once a lemon shark draws first blood from its prey, the scent triggers a feeding frenzy. It will then hit its victim, bite and hold it tightly around the head and shake it repeatedly until it can tear off pieces of flesh.

This species hunts by quickly approaching prey and before making any physical contact it stops abruptly. They’ll also occasionally catch sea birds and even other small sharks. Some of their favorite prey are bony fish, mollusks and crustaceans. Their very sensitive detection skills allows them to hunt perfectly at night. Some examples of such prey are the parrot fish and mojarras. These sharks feed selectively on species that are slower and more easily captured by using a stalking technique. They also tend to prefer prey when they are more abundant and available. Though the lemon shark is piscivorous (feeding on fish), it displays distinct preference for certain species and size of prey. These are very selective eaters unlike many other shark species, for example the tiger shark. (Author: Albert kok/Wiki Commons cc by-sa 3.0) 9) Diet And Hunting Pattern Of The Lemon Shark
#Lemon shark for free#
Remoras Commonly Cling To Lemon Sharks For Free Scraps Of Food. Gestation period is between 10 and 12 months with a litter of up to 18 pups with multiple paternity. They can store sperm in an oviductal gland for several months before fertilization. However, the female lemon shark is polyandrous and sperm competition occurs. Fertilization is almost immediate and these sharks are viviparous: nutrients pass to the embryo through yolk-sac placenta and the young are born alive. Mating occurs during the spring months annually and kicks off with adults congregating at special mating grounds.Īs with many other shark species, male adults will bite the females till they agree to mate. The lemon shark is typically “accommodating” and will not bite humans unless it feels threatened. The few times this has happened is when researchers are handling live sharks or when divers disturb them in the water.įor now, there is no record of a human fatality caused by a lemon shark. Though, they may cause injury to humans with bites if they feel threatened. Lemon sharks do not represent a serious threat to humans. 5) Average/Maximum Weightįrom 90 kg to 183.7 kg (200 to 405 lbs.) 6) Maximum swimming speedĢ mph (3.2 km/h) on average. This is a medium to large-sized species often reaching between 2.4 meters and 3.43 meters (7.9 to 11.2 feet). The maximum reported age for lemon sharks is 25 years in captivity and up to 30 years in the wild. Negaprion Brevirostris 2) Scientific Classification: They are of minimal threat to humans, and they are currently listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. As a result, they hunt perfectly at night even in pitch darkness. They are very sensitive to vibrations in the water around them thanks to the ampullae of Lorenzini receptors in their heads. Lemon sharks have a yellow coloring (for perfect camouflage in sandy areas), and a flattened head with a short, rounded snout, and two large dorsal fins. This group living habit allows them many benefits like enhanced communication, more successful courtship and breeding, efficient hunting ventures, and better protection from predators. One interesting detail about these groups is that these sharks are relatively peaceful and they don’t fight or attack each other. These sharks are particularly fond of social living and they are commonly seen in same-sex, same-size groups. The Lemon Shark is a powerful fish with a stocky build.

As Usual, Always Exercise Caution Around Wild Creatures. Though Very Powerful, They Rarely If Ever Attack Humans. The most well-known and researched shark in the science world so far.
