Four young Lemon sharks have appeared near our dock in June and have decided to stay for a while. These pups measure about half a meter and have the character of young teenagers: they seem to take a particular interest in the toes of anyone cleaning fish on the dock!
Three of the four pups who chose the area around our dock as a nursery ground.
Quick facts about Lemon Sharks
(from http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=490)
The Lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris (Poey, 1868), is named for its pale yellow to brown coloring on the dorsal side and lighter yellow on the ventral side.
The body of the Lemon shark large and robust and commonly reaches lengths between 2.4-3m with a maximum of 3.2-3.5 m. The growth rate of the Lemon shark is 0.54cm per year.
Feeding Behavior
The Lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, feeds on bony fish including: catfish, mullet, jacks, croakers, porcupine fish, and cowfish; as well as guitarfish, stingrays, eagle rays, crabs, and crayfish. On occasion the Lemon shark will also eat sea birds and smaller sharks.
Life History
The Lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, is viviparous, meaning females give birth to live free-swimming pups. Females and males reach sexual maturity at 6-7 years of age or at 2.4m and 2.24 m respectively. Mating takes place in the springtime in shallow water followed by a 10-12 month gestation period. Females return to shallow nursing grounds between April-September to give birth to 4-17 pups that measure between 60-65cm. Pups remain in the nursing grounds for several years.
Threats to the Lemon Shark
(from http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/LemonShark/LemonShark.html)
The Lemon shark is targeted by commercial and recreational fishermen along the US Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The US bottom longline fishery commonly targets this species and it is also caught as by-catch in both pelagic and gillnet fisheries. Their fins are highly prized and exported to Asia for shark fin soup. Their skin may be used for leather and their meat can also be consumed, all of which make this shark very marketable. There is some concern that populations in the western north Atlantic and eastern Pacific Ocean are declining due to over-fishing.
Needless to say that we hope to see these sharks grow big and strong (well not TOO big) and come back to give birth to another generation... In the mean time we'll watch out for our toes....
Tyson the shark, with no guidance as to what to eat, he's playing it by ear.
For more information on Lemon Sharks please visit the following sites:
http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=490
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