Grey Nurse Shark (Carcharias taurus Rafinesque)
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Fast Facts
Common name: Grey Nurse Shark
Scientific name:Carcharias taurus
Family name: Odontaspidae
Size: The Grey Nurse Shark grows to a length of 3.6m. Males mature at 2.1m and females at 2.2m.
Not considered dangerous unless provoked.
Distribution: The family Odontaspidae is recorded throughout the world oceans. Grey Nurse Sharks are found in tropical and temperate waters in the Atlantic, Indian and western Pacific Oceans, although the species is known by different common names in different regions. It is recorded from all states of Australia except Tasmania.


An adult Gray nurse
   Idetification
The Grey Nurse Shark lives in shallow coastal waters from the surf zone down to 60m, although it has been recorded from water as deep as 190m.

Structural, physiological and behavioural adaptations: The Grey Nurse is a distinctive shark which is usually grey-brown on top and a dirty white underneath. A distinctive character of this species is that both dorsal fins and the anal fin are of a similar size. It is a sluggish species which is not considered dangerous to people, although divers should never provoke it.

Heterocercal Tail:
Many sharks have a tail with a long dorsal (upper) lobe and a shorter ventral (lower) lobe. This type of tail is described as heterocercal.

When a shark swims the large upper lobe of the tail tends to push the snout of the shark down. This is balanced by the lift produced by the pectoral fins and the ventral surface of the snout.


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Teeth
Sharp Pointed Teeth:
In some parts of the world, the Grey Nurse Shark is known as the Spotted Ragged-Tooth . The reason for the this name is obvious. This species has fierce-looking teeth which are visible when the shark's mouth is closed. Grey Nurse Sharks are not however the "maneaters" that some people thought in the past.

The teeth of the Grey Nurse Shark are constantly being replaced. This means that older, damaged or blunt teeth on the exterior surfaces of the jaws are replaced by new teeth. In the whaler sharks, family Carcharhinidae, each tooth is replaced every eight to fifteen days.

They are sluggish sharks which feed on fishes, which are pierced with the sharp teeth.



The tail of the Grey Nurse Shark is heterocercal and has a characteristic subterminal notch. This is seen in the upper image on the right.



This image shows the tail of the other odontaspid shark found in Australia, the Sand Tiger Shark or Herbsts Nurse Shark, Odontaspis ferox