DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableshark · carpet shark
Nurse shark
Ginglymostoma cirratum
Docile Atlantic bottom-dweller that spends the day piled under ledges.
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Quick facts
The Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is a marine species divers can encounter. Typical size: 200–260 cm. Usually seen at 5–30 m depth. Where to see it: Bonaire.
Summarised from DIVE-SEEK's recorded catalogue data; omitted values are not yet recorded.
Taxonomic rank
species
Typical size
200–260 cm (total_length)
Maximum size
300 cm
Typical depth
5–30 m
Maximum depth
130 m
Conservation status
Research in progress
Photography difficulty
2 /5
Activity pattern
Nocturnal.
Description
Caribbean counterpart to the Indo-Pacific carpet sharks. Conservation status not populated pending a verified Red List reading.
Habitat
Coral reef, sand flats and seagrass in the tropical Atlantic.
Behaviour
Rests motionless under ledges by day, forages over sand at night.
Diet
Crustaceans, molluscs and small fish taken by suction.
Social behaviour
Groups of several individuals sharing rest sites.
Photography notes
Static resting subject; the challenge is lighting an animal wedged under a dark ledge.
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Where to see it
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Provenance — each verified claim is linked to its source as records are published.