The lemon sharks are sturdy and powerful sharks closely related to the great white sharks. They are one of the most fascinating and the most researched species of shark that is rarely discussed. The reason why they are called ‘lemon sharks’ is due to the brown or yellow skin coloration. In terms of size, the lemon shark is considered one of the biggest species of sharks with length between 95 to 120 inches. The largest population of the lemon shark can be found in the regions of the Atlantic Ocean.
This shark has a high rate of adaptability to feed in both salt and freshwaters, although it is a saltwater species. Lemon shark is capable of handling captivity for a long period of time. Research assessment conducted on the lemon shark shows that the species has a preference for social interaction, cooperation, as well as balance social relations. The lemon shark body parts such as fins, liver, skin are generally in high demand in the medicinal and gastronomic fields. Despite the build and size of the lemon sharks, they are known to be a gentle shark species and harmless to humans.
Despite the fascinating and harmless nature of the lemon sharks, they are enlisted as near threatened with extinction according to their conservation status. This development is attributed to the high demand for the fins and other body parts of the shark, which are economically valuable. The lemon sharks may live up to 27 years.
Taxonomy
The lemon sharks belong to the order Carcharhiniformes and the family of Carcharhinidae.
Morphology
The lemon shark has a characteristic yellow-brown coloration from where its name “lemon shark” came. The shark has a flattened head and a short snout. The body length of an adult lemon shark may grow up to 10 feet. The retina of the lemon shark’s eyes has a specialized horizontal band that enables the shark to observe and see things clearly underwater. Sometimes, the lemon shark is distinguished by its fins, whereby the second dorsal fin is often smaller than the first dorsal fin. The first dorsal fin originates from behind the pectoral fins. The female species of the lemon shark are slightly larger than the males.
Adaptation
The lemon shark body coloration helps the shark to blend with the seabed environment, where they look like the sand on the seabed. This feature helps them to hide and remain undetected by preys. Similar to other species of sharks, they have an electroreceptors for tracking prey through electric impulse transmitted. Lemon sharks have magnetic sensors in their nostrils, which give them a powerful olfactory sense. In addition, they have a sharp retina, which allows them to see fine details when underwater, and is particularly useful during hunting. They are social animals and often show group coordination when hunting, which enhances their success rate when hunting for prey.
Feeding
The lemon shark are carnivores that feed on varieties of bony fish and crustaceans such as mullet, crabs, crayfish and catfish. Lemon sharks will keep on feeding until they are fully satisfied. In some cases, the lemon shark can be seen feeding on seabirds and smaller sharks. Unlike most species of sharks assumed to be opportunistic predators, the lemon sharks select food and have a preference for specific types of preys with specific sizes. They generally prefer medium size and slow moving prey. They hunt by grabbing their prey tightly around the head and shake aggressively and consistently until they tear off pieces of flesh.
Habitat
The largest population of lemon sharks resides in the regions of the Atlantic Ocean, however, the Pacific Ocean likewise harbors few population of this species of shark. They have a wide distribution from coast of New Jersey in the United States to the south of Brazil. They are also found on the African coasts of Senegal and Ivory Coast. They are bottom dwellers in the ocean and can be found resting motionless during the day on the sea bed. Like the bull sharks, lemon sharks are also known to swim upstream in freshwater rivers, especially preferring to stay at the mouths of the river. The lemon sharks live at 300 feet in the subtropical shallow water where they are commonly found
Reproduction
They engage in a viviparous mode of reproduction. They attain sexual maturity at about six and a half years old. Prior to gestation, lemon sharks mate during the summer and spring seasons. The female is often bitten by the male on the fin during mating in order to have a grip on the female. The female stores, numerous sperms of the males inside itself, which is the reason why a single litter tend to have multiple paternity. The gestation duration is between 10 and 12 months. A female may give birth to about 4 to 17 offspring at a time and thereafter wait for a whole year before giving birth to offspring again.
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References
IUCN (2019). Negaprion brevirostris. Retrieved from https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/39380/81769233
Lonne, T (2019). Shark series- the lemon shark. Retrieved from https://www.divein.com/articles/lemon-shark/
Negaprion brevirostris (2019). Shark Series- The Lemon Shark. Retrieved from https://www.fishbase.de/summary/897
Oceana (2019). Lemon Shark. Retrieved from https://oceana.org/marine-life/sharks-rays/lemon-shark