Species: Negaprion brevirostris, Lemon shark

Negaprion brevirostris (Poey, 1868)

Lemon shark

Body stout; head broad and flat with broad round to bluntly angular snout; eyes round, small, with lower eyelid; no spiracle; lip furrows at corners of mouth; mouth arched, ends well past eye; upper and lower front teeth with a single narrowly triangular straight point, mainly smooth, large fish may have serrations on bases of upper teeth, teeth straight at front, oblique at sides; five gill slits, last two over pectoral; two dorsal fins, first with origin just behind pectoral, second dorsal 80-100% size of first, over anal; no ridge between dorsals; pectorals broad; anal fin large, a little smaller than second dorsal, with strongly notched rear margin; pit on top of tail base is longitudinal, straight; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, lower lobe of tail well developed, upper lobe with undulating ridge along its top edge, and a notch under its tip, pits at its base.

Pale yellow brown on back and sides, yellowish or whitish below.

Attains about 296 cm.

A common inshore shark seen in a variety of habitats including rocky reefs, estuaries, and river mouths (may enter fresh water).

Depth: 0-90 m.

Tropical waters of the E and W Atlantic and E Pacific; the northern US to southern Brazil.