Species profile
Nurse Shark
Ginglymostoma cirratum
Identify Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app. Plus current fishing rules across 4 jurisdictions.
At a glance
Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is an IUCN Vulnerable shark or ray regulated in 6 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Bag limits are uniform at 1 per angler across the 5 regulating jurisdictions.
Across 4 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 54.0 in (≈ 4 ft 6 in).
Confirmed by 1,234 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Florida, Texas, and Georgia the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Can grow up to 4.3 meters (14 feet) long, though most adults range from 2.1 to 3 meters.
- Pumps water over its gills while resting motionless on the seafloor—most sharks cannot do this.
- Has two fleshy barbels near its mouth that sense prey buried in sand or reef rubble.
- Feeds mainly at night on bottom-dwelling prey including stingrays, crustaceans, and squid.
- Despite a docile reputation, nurse sharks are among the more frequently recorded biters when harassed.
Where Nurse Shark are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Nurse Shark
Background
The nurse shark is an elasmobranch fish in the family Ginglymostomatidae. The conservation status of the nurse shark is globally assessed as vulnerable in the IUCN List of Threatened Species. They are considered to be a species of least concern in the United States and in The Bahamas, but considered to be near threatened in the western Atlantic Ocean because of their vulnerable status in South…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Nurse Shark article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other sharks & rays on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is Nurse Shark?
Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is an IUCN Vulnerable shark or ray regulated in 6 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
What is the scientific name for Nurse Shark?
Nurse Shark is Ginglymostoma cirratum.
Is Nurse Shark regulated for fishing?
Yes — Nurse Shark has fishing regulations in 4 U.S. states and/or Canadian provinces tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.
How can I identify Nurse Shark?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Nurse Shark along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.