nurse shark

any of several sharks of the family Orectolobidae, esp. Ginglymostoma cirratum, occurring in shallow waters from Rhode Island to Brazil and the Gulf of California to Ecuador.

[1850-55; allegedly so called because the male habitually hangs on to the female's fin with his teeth]

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Only Atlantic species (Ginglymostoma cirratum) of 25 carpet shark species (family Orectolobidae).

Yellow-or gray-brown, sometimes with dark spots, it may grow to over 13 ft (4 m) long. It may attack swimmers, especially when provoked, but is not related to the dangerous gray nurse (Odontaspis arenarius), a sand shark.

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▪ fish species

      (Ginglymostoma cirratum), Atlantic shark of the family Ginglymostomatidae. The nurse shark is yellow-brown or gray-brown, sometimes with dark spots, and may grow to over 4 m (13 feet) in length. It rarely attacks swimmers but may when provoked. It is not related to the gray nurse (see sand shark) of Australia.

      The name nurse shark is used to describe any member of the family Ginglymostomatidae. In addition to G. cirratum, the family includes the tawny nurse shark (Nebrius ferrugineus) and the shorttail nurse shark (Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum).

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