Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Species Account/Negaprion brevirostris"

Revision as of 17:59, 30 March 2009

The lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, is a shark belonging to the family Carcharhinidae that can grow Template:Convert long.^&

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Reproduction

Lemon sharks are viviparous, females giving birth to between 4 and 17 young every other year in warm and shallow lagoons. The young have to fend for themselves and remain in shallow water near mangroves until they grow larger. With increasing size, the sharks venture further away from their birth place. At maturity at a size of 1.5 to 2 m and an age of 12 to 15 years, they leave shallow water and move into deeper waters offshore. However, little is known of this life stage. Maximum recorded length and weight is 340 cm and 183 kg. They can be extremely aggressive and protective if young sharks are around.^&

Recent work in genetics by Drs. Kevin Feldheim, Sonny Gruber and Mary Ashley may suggest that adult sharks move over hundreds of km to mate, or populations far apart may have been separated in recent time. Further research in this area would be of immense importance for the understanding of the lemon shark's breeding behaviour and ecology.

my momma is on fire!!!!!

The magnetic field

All sharks have electroreceptors concentrated in their heads called the Ampullae of Lorenzini. These receptors detect electrical pulses emitted by potential prey. Lemon sharks are bottom dwellers but have very poor eyesight and cannot see well to find their food. However, they are equipped with extremely sensitive and accurate magnetic sensors in the nose.

References

↑ Lemon Shark - SharkSurvivor.com
↑ Negaprion brevirostris, Lemon shark - FishBase

Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is near threatened
Template:ITIS
Template:FishBase species
Washington Post, 2005, Aug. 22nd: "Scientists Fear Oceans on the Cusp Of a Wave of Marine Extinctions"

External links

Template:Commons

Lemon shark facts and pictures

Template:Selachimorpha

ca:Tauró llimona cs:Žralok citrónový de:Zitronenhai fr:Requin citron it:Negaprion brevirostris hu:Citromcápa nl:Citroenhaai no:Sitronhai pt:Tubarão-limão ru:Лимонная акула sk:Žralok citrónový fi:Sitruunahai sv:Citronhaj

[1] Lemon Shark - SharkSurvivor.com

[2] Negaprion brevirostris, Lemon shark - FishBase

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 Recent work in [[genetics]] by Drs. Kevin Feldheim, Sonny Gruber and Mary Ashley may suggest that adult sharks move over hundreds of km to mate, or populations far apart may have been separated in recent time. Further research in this area would be of immense importance for the understanding of the lemon shark's breeding behaviour and ecology.
-==Importance to humans==
+my momma is on fire!!!!!
-Lemon sharks are a popular choice for study by scientists as they survive well in captivity, unlike many other species such as the [[great white shark]], which dies in captivity because of food refusal. The species is the best known of all sharks in terms of behaviour and [[ecology]], mainly thanks to the enormous effort of Dr. [[Samuel Gruber]] at the [[University of Miami]] who has been studying the lemon shark both in the field and in the laboratory since 1967. The population around the [[Bimini Islands]] in the western [[Bahamas]], where Dr Gruber's field station, Bimini Biological Field Station, is situated, is probably the best known of all shark populations. As of 2007, it is experiencing a severe population decline and may disappear altogether due to destruction of the mangroves for construction of a golf [[resort]]. There have been 22 known lemon shark attacks since 1580 with no deaths.
 ==The magnetic field==