Distinguished Feature

The Tawny Nurse Shark, distinguished by its sleeker body compared to other Nurse Sharks, is considered to be a more active swimmer and less inclined to stay on the ocean floor.

This Shark species, known for its unique characteristics, is believed to specialize in preying on octopus, making it one of the few fishes with this particular feeding behavior. Its diet includes a variety of marine organisms such as corals, sea urchins, crustaceans, squid, small fishes, and occasionally sea snakes.

During hunting, Tawny Nurse Sharks employ a deliberate and methodical approach, swimming slowly just above the sea floor. They explore the seabed using the Ampullae of Lorenzini present in so many cartilaginous fishes, to detect electric fields produced by living organisms and on top of that they have an additional feature, the barbels. These 2 fleshy conic sense organs contain taste buds, which they drag across sand in search of prey. Once a potential prey item is located, the Shark utilizes its powerful and expansive pharynx, creating a significant negative pressure, and forcefully suck the prey into its mouth, where rows of tiny, backward-curving teeth crush up the food.

This distinctive feeding strategy highlights the adaptability and specialized hunting behavior of the tawny nurse shark.