Coloration
Yellowish skin that gives the species its common name.
Photo byFiona Ayerst
Species Guide
What to know about lemon sharks
A clean field guide focused on habitat, identification, behavior, and conservation context without burying the useful parts.
The lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) is a species in the family Carcharhinidae named for its yellowish skin. Adults can reach about 3.4 m (11 ft). They inhabit shallow subtropical waters, frequently return to specific nursery sites for breeding, and often feed at night. Lemon sharks use electroreceptors to locate prey, primarily fish. They are social, benefiting from group living for communication, courtship, predation, and protection. Reproduction is viviparous: females are polyandrous and typically breed on a biennial cycle. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Lemon sharks are not considered a major threat to people; ten bites have been recorded, none life-threatening. Lifespan is not precisely known for the species, though typical sharks live 25–30 years; a lemon shark in captivity reached age 40.
Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.
Often feed at night; return to and use specific nursery sites; exhibit group-living behavior.
The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Moorea, Fernando de Noronha, North Male Atoll and countries such as French Polynesia, Maldives, Brazil for divers building trips around lemon sharks.
