There have been 23 confirmed Lemon Shark attacks since records have been recorded.

Features and Size

The Lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris) is known for its yellow coloration. Some claim that it has a deep yellow colour but this is an exaggeration. People also claim that it is hard to see the Yellow Shark when it is laying on or close to the bottom of the sea floor.

While amateur anglers or fish scuba divers may make this mistake, you can clearly see form the photo below that it is easy to distinguish the Yellow shark from its surroundings. However, as the old adage goes, it is often easier to hide in plain site. The yellow shark blends well enough into the background that it is over looked by prey and humans alike.

Lemon Colored Skin

Adult Lemon Sharks skin has a light brown to yellow colored skin. The yellow coloration is strongest on the top and sides with the belly being an off white. Its skin colour has evolved to allow it to blend into the sandy common in the Caribbean seas.

The Lemon Shark has sharp, pointed serrated teeth that are designed to prevent prey from getting away after a single bite. The teeth are angled inwards. As with other sharks, the teeth come in rows and are replaced frequently, as often as every seven days. Only the first two rows are used for catching its prey.

Size

The Lemon Shark is a small shark with the largest adults reaching 10 feet long. While larger than a man, this is much smaller than the whale shark or the great while shark. The largest ever Yellow Shark identified was 12 feet/3.7 meters long.

Lemon Shark Reproduction

Like Humans, Lemon Sharks give birth to live young. They are about 18 inches long and a litter ay include as many as 20 pups. Lemon Sharks may travel as much as 1,500 miles/2,414 kilometers to find a mate.

Lemon Shark Habitat

The Lemon Shark is generally found in shallow water down to 300 feet/91 meters. While it has been spotted as deep as 1,300 feet/396 meters, thesis rare.

The Lemon Shark is most often found near the surface and loves bays and river mouths. In these areas, it will seek out underwater obstructions because they attract fish and have better chances of catching a meal.

The Lemon Shark is not found in the open ocean sticking to the continental shelf rarely going ore than 120 miles/193 kilometers off the coast.

Lemon Shark Food Preferences

The Lemon Shark’s diet is made up of boney fish that are common in the Caribbean seas. It will also eat squid, mollusks and crustaceans and on occasion the Yellow Shark has been known to eat other sharks.

Yellow Shark Distribution

The Lemon Shark is believed to be a Caribbean fish, and while it is common in the waters of the Caribbean, it is also found off the coast of Africa, South America and the western coast of the United Staes and Mexico.

The Lemon Shark does not like cold water even though it can be found going as deep as 1,300 feet on occasion. The bulk of its population is found in the tropics with the notable exception of Asia where the shark has not been found.

Lemon Shark Man Eater Danger Scale

There have been 23 confirmed Lemon Shark attacks since records have been recorded. Lemon Sharks do not seek out or act aggressively around humans. Most cases of attack have occurred in shallow water where it is believe that people have gotten close to them and the Lemon Shark has attacked out of defence. As the Lemon Shark Spends its tie on the bottom, it is important be careful of your surroundings when swimming in their distribution. The Lemon Shark scores a 2 on the Man Eater Danger Scale.