Image: Grey Nurse Shark tooth Illustration
Description
A tooth of a Grey Nurse Shark (Carcharias taurus). It is long and piercing with small cusps at the bottom.
- Illustrator:
- Andrew Howells
- Rights:
- © Australian Museum
- Common name:
- Grey Nurse Shark
- Scientific name:
- Carcharias taurus
Additional information
Grey Nurse Sharks live near the sea floor and sometimes in the surf zone. They can be found down to depths of 190 m.
Grey Nurse Sharks eat bony fishes, crabs, lobsters, squids and octopuses. They catch their food by rounding up small fishes into tight groups and eating them.
Grey Nurse Sharks' teeth are long and piercing with small cusps. Their teeth constantly fall out and get replaced.
Grey Nurse Sharks can grow up to 3.2 m long.
Grey Nurse Sharks give birth to only two live young at a time.
Grey Nurse Sharks are not dangerous, but divers should not annoy them.
The Grey Nurse Shark has 'nurse' in its name because it rounds up fishes into a tight school.
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