Lemon Sharks

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LEMON SHARK The lemon shark, scientific name Negaprion Brevirostris, can grow to reach a maximum length of 11 feet. The lemon shark is found in the Pacific off Latin and South America, in the Atlantic off the coasts of South America and West Africa, and in the Gulf of Mexico. It lives near the surface and at moderate depths, frequenting bays, docks, and river mouths. Lemon sharks will eats mostly fish, including other sharks, mollusks, and crustaceans. At night they hunt for squid, small fish, sting rays, and sea birds. Lemon sharks have slightly curved triangular teeth. These long, thin, sharp teeth are designed to catch slippery fish, which is the bulk of their diet. A young lemon shark looses an entire set of teeth, one at a time, every 7-8 days. The teeth are located in rows. The first two rows are used in obtaining prey, the other rows rotate into place as they are lost, broken, or worn down.

Lemon sharks have six fins, two of which are pectoral fins, which are used for steering left or right, the Anal fin which is used for balance, the caudal fin which is used for propulsion, dorsal, and secondary dorsal fins which are located on top of the shark. Lemon shark's senses include smell, hearing, sight, and lorenziis ampulla. Sharks are able to smell blood from up to 5 miles. The lorenziis ampulla is an organ that enables the shark to detect the weak electrical fields that all animals generate. This sense helps guide the shark toward its prey, allowing it to attack in murky water or total darkness.