it is found widely along coastlines in the indo-pacific , preferring reefs , sandy flats , and seagrass beds from very shallow water to a depth of 70 m ( 230 ft ) .

with a cylindrical body and a broad , flattened head , the tawny nurse shark is quite similar in appearance to the nurse shark ( ginglymostoma cirratum ) of the atlantic and east pacific , from which it can be distinguished by its pointed-tipped dorsal fins and narrow , sickle-shaped pectoral fins .

the maximum recorded length of the tawny nurse shark is 3.2 m ( 10 ft ) .

nocturnal in habits , the tawny nurse shark tends to spend the day resting in piles of two dozen or more individuals inside caves or under ledges .

at night , it is an active-swimming predator that uses a powerful suction force to extract prey from inside holes and crevices .

the diet of this species consists mainly of octopus , though they also take other invertebrates , small bony fishes , and rarely sea snakes .

it is aplacental viviparous , meaning the embryos hatch from egg capsules inside the mother .

it is the only carpet shark in which the embryos are oophagous , feeding on eggs produced by the mother while inside the uterus .

the litter size may be as small as one or two , based on the large size of near-term embryos .

compared to the nurse shark , the tawny nurse shark has a more placid disposition and will often allow divers to touch and play with it .

however , it should be accorded respect due to its powerful jaws and sharp teeth .

this species is caught by commercial fisheries across most of its range for meat , fins , liver oil , leather , and fishmeal .

it is also esteemed as a game fish off queensland , australia , and is known for its habit of spitting water in the faces of its captors .

the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) has assessed the tawny nurse shark as vulnerable , with subpopulations in several areas already diminished or extirpated .

tawny nurse shark

australia : tawny shark , spitting shark , rusty shark , rusty catshark , sleepy shark , madame x .
en - tawny nurse shark , fr - requin nourrice fauve , sp - gata nodriza atezada .
small fish and invertebrates are among the prey items of the tawny nurse shark . photo © klaus jost
fao names : en – tawny nurse shark ; fr – requin nourrice fauve ; sp – gata nodriza atezada .
' other’ species are tawny nurse , blacktip reef , tiger , scalloped hammerhead and great hammerhead .
overview of various pacific coral reef sharks , notably the blacktip reef shark , gray reef shark , and nurse shark .
five new species of pedibothrium ( tetraphyllidea : onchobothriidae ) from the tawny nurse shark , nebrius ferrugineus , in the pacific ocean .
tawny nurse sharks are gray - brown to brown in color along the dorsal surface . photo © doug perrine
there are 5 species of tapeworms documented in the spiral intestines of the tawny nurse shark taken from the waters off australia and french polynesia .
the tawny nurse shark is ovoviviparous , with females giving birth to up to eight live young that have hatched within the uterus ( 4 ) .
five new species of pedibothrium ( tetraphyllidea : onchobothriidae ) from the tawny nurse shark , nebrius ferrugineus , in the pacific ocean . - pubmed - ncbi
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
portlet
) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href =
urltoken
title =
arkive species - tawny nurse shark ( nebrius ferrugineus )
> < img src =
urltoken
alt =
arkive species - tawny nurse shark ( nebrius ferrugineus )
title =
arkive species - tawny nurse shark ( nebrius ferrugineus )
border =
0
/ > < / a >
the tawny nurse shark has a more calm disposition compared to other nurse sharks and adventurous scuba divers have been known to touch them . a few non - fatal attacks have been recorded . these occurred when they were being ‘handled’ by divers . due to their large size and strength , the tawny nurse shark should be regarded as potentially dangerous and treated with respect .
this nurse shark found in the indo - pacific region should not be confused with the nurse shark ( ginglymostoma cirratum ) of the atlantic and eastern pacific oceans . although at first glance these two species closely resemble each other , on closer inspection the tawny nurse shark can be easy distinguished by the pointed apices of its pectoral , dorsal , and anal fins as well as its narrowly falcate pectoral fins . the tawny nurse shark is also a more active swimming species than g . cirratum .
with their cylindrical body and broad , flattened head , the tawny nurse shark is quite similar in appearance to the nurse shark ( ginglymostoma cirratum ) but can be distinguished by its pointed - tipped dorsal fins and narrow , sickle - shaped pectoral fins .
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
portlet
) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href =
urltoken
title =
arkive video - tawny nurse shark feeding on and investigating dead turtle
> < img src =
urltoken
alt =
arkive video - tawny nurse shark feeding on and investigating dead turtle
title =
arkive video - tawny nurse shark feeding on and investigating dead turtle
border =
0
/ > < / a >
the movie opens with footage of zebra sharks , but moves on to show tawny shark behaviour and feeding .
teshima , k . , m . toda , y . kamei , s . uchida and m . tamaki . 1999 . reproductive mode of the tawny nurse shark .
parasites there are five species of tapeworms ( pedibothrium sp . ) documented from the spiral intestines of the tawny nurse shark taken from the waters off australia and french polynesia .
given that tawny nurse shark pups are born at an average length of between 40 to 60cm , it was clear that these large females were pregnant by their distinctively bulging stomach . the tawny nurse shark is the only member of the carpet shark family which exhibits intrauterine cannibalism ; once the pups have used up their yolk supply , they will feed on other eggs within the uterus .
the biology of the nurse shark , ginglymostoma cirratum , off the florida east coast and the bahama islands .
predators there are no species that regularly prey on nurse sharks . however some larger sharks are known to feed occasionally on nurse sharks found in the atlantic ocean . remains of nurse sharks have been found in lemon shark and tiger shark stomachs , and attacks on nurse sharks by bull sharks and great hammerhead sharks have been observed on this closely related species .
…the wobbegongs ; and ginglymostomatidae , the nurse sharks . one species of nurse shark , ginglymostoma cirratum , reaches a length of more than 4 metres ( 13 feet ) . …
often used as an attractive display animal in aquaria , the tawny nurse shark is a tough , hardy shark that easily adapts to captivity . it is kept at public aquaria facilities throughout europe , japan , singapore , and the united states .
responding to a related posting , [
i believe that the name nurse shark comes from some place in the south pacific where they called it a plurse shark . the name was then slurred into nurse shark .
] , i had the following thoughts .
verification of multiple species of pedibothrium in the atlantic nurse shark with comments on the australasian members of the genus .
the tawny has a cylindrical body with a broad , flattened head , with a squarish snout and tiny eyes . they are quite similar in appearance to the nurse shark that is found in the atlantic and east pacific . the tawny nurse shark has a couple of features that distinguish them from other nurse sharks . the most obvious is their sickle shaped pectoral fins . the less apparent anatomical difference , unless a diver touches the shark , is their soft skin . their greek name ‘nebrius’ can be translated to ‘skin of a fawn . ’
within the first few days of surveying in chagos , our fish and benthic surveyors have had multiple encounters with large and often pregnant tawny nurse sharks ( nebrius ferrugineus ) .
a tawny nurse shark ( nebrius ferrugineus ) lies in a small cave on a reef in raja ampat , indonesia . this beautiful region is known for its prolific marine life and world class scuba diving and snorkeling .
inhabiting the waters above the continental shelves in most warm and temperate regions—which is sometimes referred to as the gray nurse shark .
tawny nurse sharks can reach a maximum length of 10 . 4 feet ( 320 cm ) . born at 15 . 7 up to 23 inches ( 40 - 60 cm ) .
tawny nurse shark ( nebrius ferrugineus ) scientific name : nebrius ferrugineus , higher classification : nebrius , rank : species , kingdom : animalia , phylum : chordata , class : chondrichthyes , subclass : elasmobranchii , order : orectolobiformes , family : ginglymostomatidae , genus : nebrius , type : fish , * * the tawny nurse shark ( nebrius ferrugineus ) is a species of carpet shark in the family ginglymostomatidae , and the only extant member of the genus nebrius . it is found widely along coastlines in the indo - pacific , preferring reefs , sandy flats , and seagrass beds from very shallow water to a depth of 70 m ( 230 ft ) . with a cylindrical body and a broad , flattened head , the tawny nurse shark is quite similar in appearance to the nurse shark ( ginglymostoma cirratum ) of the atlantic and east pacific , from which it can be distinguished by its pointed - tipped dorsal fins and narrow , sickle - shaped pectoral fins . the maximum recorded length of the tawny nurse shark is 3 . 2 m ( 10 ft ) . more info : urltoken
a tawny nurse shark ( nebrius ferrugineus ) attracted to a dive light during a feeding session for tourism in the northern ari atoll of the republic of maldives . currently the republic of maldives has completely banned shark fishing in the country to conserve their population and maintain shark tourism which attracts a large number of tourists each year . it has been studied in several locations that a living shark could yield much larger revenue throughout their lifetime than a dead one at fish markets . currently tawny nurse shark is listed as vulnerable in the iucn red list of endangered species . photo : © sirachai arunrugstichai
tawny nurse sharks have few natural predators if humans are not included . if they are unfortunate , they may fall prey to other sharks such as bull sharks , great hammerheads and tiger sharks .
they have short small mouths with fan - shaped serrated teeth . the tawny nurse shark ' s name was presumably derived from its ability to suck up prey using a powerful sucking motion with its throat , just like a baby being nursed .
the mating season runs from late june to the end of july . nurse sharks are
during day lies motionless unless closely harassed . will bite if provoked . nurse sharks are opportunistic and become regular visitors to shark feeds .
tawny nurse sharks are ovoviviparous ( aplacental viviparous ) . young feed inside the uterus on large infertile yolky eggs . litter size is uncertain , one to four , depending upon competition in the uterus .
this shark ' s narrow range and limited dispersion as well as low reproductive rates make it especially susceptible to the effects of overfishing . reef habitats and local food webs have been damaged from dynamiting and poisoning in portions of its range , further increasing the tawny nurse shark ' s vulnerability . there have been reports of local extinctions in waters around india and the gulf of thailand due to increased fisheries catch along with destruction of habitat . at this time , the tawny nurse shark is still abundant off of australia where fishing impact is much less .
this nurse shark is quite docile , allowing itself to be touched by divers , however there are a few non - fatal attacks on humans attributed to this species . due to its strong jaws and sharp cutting teeth , the tawny nurse shark should be regarded as potentially dangerous and treated with respect . it is a favorite species for observation by ecotourists in waters off thailand and the solomon islands .
the tawny nurse shark is widely distributed across the indian and west and central pacific oceans , ranging from the red sea , east africa and the arabian gulf to southern japan , south through indonesia to australia ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 5 ) .
it is worth noting in passing that the nurse shark of the central and western south pacific and indian oceans is not the familiar ginglymostoma cirratum of the atlantic and eastern pacific , but the tawny nurse shark , nebrius ferrugineus ( = n . concolor ) . although the nurse and tawny sharks superficially resemble one another , the latter is readily distinguished from the former by the pointed apices of its pectoral , dorsal , and anal fins , narrowly falcate pectoral fins , and laterally compressed teeth in the sides of the jaw . these differences have long been regarded as evidence that these orectoloboid sharks warrant different genera .
some aquariums have tried to exhibit much larger sharks , such as the white shark and whale shark .
a sickle - fin lemon shark takes a tuna head from a shark handler . photograph : tom vierus
age of association between the nurse shark , ginglymostoma cirratum , and tapeworms of the genus pedibothrium ( tetraphyllidea : onehobothriidae ) : implications from geography .
a comparison of mode of attachment and histopathogenicity of four tapeworm species representing two orders infecting the spiral intestine of the nurse shark , ginglymostoma cirratum .
the common atlantic nurse shark is generally a light tan to dark brown colour . juveniles may be a dark gray with small black spots that are lost as the animal grows . nurse sharks possess two dorsal fins and an anal fin . in
nurse sharks are able to respire while stationary by pumping water through their mouths and out gills .
possibly , some bygone observer watched a shark giving birth to live young and thought the shark was giving nurse . possibly the use of the word sprang from the old notion that a shark would protect its young by taking them into its mouth .
need a unique gift idea ? consider an annual whale shark adoption to help fund our whale shark study .
the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) is a global union of states , governmental agencies and non - governmental organisations in a partnership that assesses the conservation status of species . the tawny nurse shark is classified as vulnerable ( vu ) on the iucn red list .
the tawny nurse shark is heavily fished commercially . the meat is used as fishmeal , its liver is rendered for oil and vitamins , and fins are sought for the oriental sharkfin trade . their skin is thick and ‘hide - like’ , and is used for the manufacture of purses .
a new species of pedibothrium ( cestoidea : tetraphyllidea ) from the short - tail nurse shark , pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum ( elasmobranchii : orectilobiformes ) from southwest madagascar .
fishes ( including surgeonfishes and siganids ) . while foraging the tawny shark moves along the bottom and explores depressions , holes and crevices in reefs . when it detects prey it places its small
records of these sharks biting their tormentors , and clamping tightly onto them . because of its size and strength , the tawny shark should be regarded as potentially dangerous and treated with respect .
a blacktip reef shark cruises over the reef at the shark reef marine reserve , fiji . photograph : tom vierus
lockenloia sanguinis n . gen . , n . sp . ( nematoda : dracunculoidea ) from the heart of a nurse shark , ginglymostoma cirratum , in florida .
nurse sharks are sometimes preyed upon by other sharks , such as tiger ( galeocerdo cuvier ) and lemon sharks ( negaprion ) . most nurse shark species are not well studied , but ecologists suspect that human activity has caused the populations of some nurse sharks to shrink . for example , populations of tawny nurse sharks ( n . ferrugineus , which often rest in caves and under reef escarpments ) near thailand are thought to have decreased as a direct result of blast fishing and through pestering by divers , whereas shorttail nurse sharks ( p . brevicaudatum , which inhabit the western indian ocean ) are declining because of a combination of habitat destruction , fishing , and capture as bycatch ( being accidentally caught by anglers ) .
the tawny nurse shark is a large shark with a broad flattened head , snout rounded or truncated . mouth in front of eyes with long nasoral grooves . nostrils with barbels . small spiracles behind eyes . small gill slits , two spinless dorsal fins . precaudal tail much shorter than head and body . unpatterned , juveniles will have a few dark spots .
this is a continental and insular shelf species restricted to a narrow band of shallow water from intertidal waters to depths of up to 70 m ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 4 ) . the tawny nurse shark lives on or near the bottom in lagoons , or close to coral and rocky reefs ( 2 ) . like other nurse sharks , this species uses crevices and caves for shelter ( 5 ) .
adults and juveniles feed on a wide diversity of benthic marine invertebrates including cephalopods , crustaceans , and sea urchins . the tawny nurse shark also feeds on small fishes including surgeonfish , queenfish and rabbitfish , as well as occasionally sea snakes . during its search for prey , this nurse shark swims along the bottom and explores holes and crevices along reefs . upon detection of prey , it uses suction to draw out - of - reach prey items into its mouth with great force .
the nurse shark has two rounded dorsal fins , rounded pectoral fins , an elongated caudal fin , and a broad head . nurse sharks are brownish . adults can grow up to 4 . 3 m ( 14 ft ) and weigh up to 330 kg ( 730 lb ) .
nurse sharks range in length from about 75 centimeters for the short tail nurse shark to 4 meters in length for the other types of nurse sharks . the average weight of a 240 centimeter long nurse shark is 330 pounds . they are generally dark in color or have dark scattered spots along their bodies . they have broad heads , no grooves around the outer edge of their nostrils , and relatively fat or stout bodies and tails . their anal fins are slightly behind their second dorsal fins and just in front of their caudal fins . anal fins are absent in some families of sharks .
teshima , k . , y . kamei , m . toda and s . uchida . 1995 . reproductive mode of the tawny nurse shark taken from the yaeyama islands . okinawa . japan with comments on individuals lacking the second dorsal fin . bull . seikai nat . fish . res . inst . , ( 73 ) : 1–12 .
the most remarkable feature of the tawny nurse shark is probably its curious ability to change colour between grey and sandy brown depending on the colour of its surroundings ( 3 ) . the tawny nurse shark is uniformly grey to tan - brown on its upper surfaces , paling slightly on the belly ( 2 ) ( 4 ) . juveniles can be distinguished from adults by the presence of small dark spots on the skin ( 4 ) . this large shark has a broad , flattened head with a squarish snout and tiny eyes ( 3 ) . there are two angular dorsal fins close to the tail , the pectoral fins curve backwards , and the long , narrow tail has a large upper lobe and almost no distinct lower lobe ( 4 ) ( 5 ) .
grillotia similis ( linton , 1908 ) comb . n . ( cestoda : trypanorhyncha ) from nurse sharks in the florida keys .
nurse sharks prefer to dwell near the sea floor in the warm , shallow waters of the western atlantic and eastern pacific oceans .
however , since nurse sharks attain lengths in excess of ten feet they are far too large to be kept in home aquaria .
the tawny nurse shark was first described as scyllium ferrugineum by lesson ( 1831 ) . however this name was later changed to the currently valid scientific name of nebrius ferrugineus ( lesson 1831 ) . synonyms include ginglymostoma concolor rüppell 1837 , ginglymostoma ferruginea lesson 1831 , ginglymostoma ferrugineum lesson 1831 , ginglymostoma muelleri günther 1870 , ginglymostoma rueppellii bleeker 1852 , nebrius concolor rüppell 1837 , nebrius doldi smith 1953 , nebrius macrurus garman 1913 ) , nebrodes concolor ogilbyi whitley 1934 , nebrodes macrurus garman 1913 , and scymnus porosu s ehrenberg 1871 . the genus name nebrius originates from the greek
nebris , - idos
, meaning skin of a fawn . the species name , ferrugineus , is derived from latin , referring to the brown coloration of this shark . the tawny nurse shark is a member of the family ginglymostomtidae .
he fijian shark culture and mythology is one which deeply appeals to me . the shark is revered by many fijians , and legend has it that
tawny nurse sharks are quite commonly encountered by divers . you may see them lying on a sandy floor or huddled together in their favourite cave or crevice during the day , or witness them hunting on a night dive . nurse sharks are easily recognised by their elongated caudal fin ( tail ) and barbels ( thin , fleshy , whisker - like organs on the lower jaw in front of the nostrils that sense taste and touch ) .
our improved understanding of shark behavior has led to scientists abandoning the term “shark attack” altogether , replacing it with “human - shark interactions , ” or “shark bites . ” it is important to realize that shark bites are extremely rare . you are 75 times more likely to be struck by lightning and 33 times more likely to be bitten by a dog than you are to be killed by a shark . but before you go swimming , you still need to know how to behave if you see a shark .
english language common names are tawny nurse shark , giant sleepy shark , madame x , nurse shark , rusty catshark , rusty shark , sleepy shark , spitting shark , and tawny shark . other common names include aarau ( kumak ) , bagea ( ro ) rodo ( gela ) , bákoa ( kirabati ) , brun nursehaj ( danish ) , chlarm ( khmer ) , cucut buta ( malay ) , endormi ( french ) , gata nodriza atezada ( spanish ) , geelbruine verpleegsterhaai ( dutch ) , hiu bisu ( jawa ) , hiu gedebong ( bali ) , hiu gedok ( bali ) , ma ' o rohoi ( tahitian ) , moemoeao ( samoan ) , moron ( malayam ) , nadammiyaru ( malayam ) , nek aarau ( kumak ) , nidammiyaru ( mahl ) , paab ( carolinian ) , pating ( tagalong ) , requin dormeur ( french ) , requin nourrice ( french ) , requin nourrice fauve ( french ) , requin - dormeur fauve ( french ) , reuse - vaakhaai ( afrikaans ) , rohoi ( tahitian ) , sunera ( marathi ) , and tubarão - de - leite tostado ( portuguese ) .
nurse sharks live in warm waters . they range from the eastern pacific ocean , eastern and western atlantic ocean to the indian ocean .
the teeth of nurse sharks are always sharp and effective because new rows of teeth develop constantly to replace older , worn down teeth .
the scientific name for the nurse shark sounds like something bilbo baggins might have said to summon elves to his rescue : ginglymostoma cirratum . actually the name is a mix of greek and latin and means
curled , hinged mouth
to describe this shark ' s somewhat puckered appearance .
size , age , and growth the maximum reported size of the tawny nurse shark is 10 . 5 feet ( 320 cm ) total length ( tl ) . the sex of this specimen caught in indonesian waters is unspecified . maturity is reached by males at lengths of approximately 7 . 4 feet ( 225 cm ) tl and by females around 7 . 6 feet ( 230 cm ) tl .
nurse sharks are commonly caught in small - scale local fisheries in some parts of its range , and are incidentally captured in many coastal fisheries ( 1 ) ( 2 ) . its tough , thick hide makes good leather , the flesh is consumed by humans and used for fishmeal , and oil is extracted from the liver ( 2 ) . the nurse shark is also captured for the aquarium trade , and is occasionally the target of spear fishermen ( 1 ) . as the nurse shark grows slowly and matures late , this exploitation can cause populations to decline rapidly and recover slowly ( 6 ) . the threat of overexploitation is compounded by the impact of humans on the coastal and reef habitats of the nurse shark ( 1 ) ( 6 ) . coral reefs are a particularly vulnerable habitat , being impacted by pollution , sedimentation , global climate change and disturbance from tourism ( 1 ) . extreme population reductions have already been recorded in the southern western atlantic , and it is possible that the nurse shark is declining , unnoticed , in other areas where there is a lack of data ( 1 ) . for this reason , the world conservation union ( iucn ) has classified the nurse shark as data deficient ( 1 ) .
there are now more than 10 , 000 shark pictures and sections on shark evolution , biology , and conservation . there is a large library of reviewed shark books , a constantly updated shark taxonomy page , a monster list of shark links , and deeper in the site there are numerous articles and stories about shark encounters . elasmodiver is now so difficult to check for updates , that new information and pictures are listed on an elasmodiver updates page that can be accessed here :
on one occasion , a large individual swam directly over our fish transect line , giving us a good estimate of the length which was close to 3m ( the maximum recorded length of the tawny nurse shark is 3 . 2 m ) . several of these large females have been observed swimming with the company of a single juvenile ( ~ 1 m ) which may be a year old pup of hers .
. nurse sharks can reach a length of 4 . 3 m ( 14 ft ) and a weight of 330 kg ( 730 lb ) .
tawny nurse sharks are found on sandy flats , rocky and coral reefs , seagrass beds , bottom substrate in lagoons and in the surf zone . they have been known to be in depths that range from intertidal water that barely covers their body , up to 70m . however , they are most frequently found between 5 - 30m .
another tactic used by this species is brute force . a 3m tawny nurse shark was filmed extracting a speared fish from under a coral head by wedging its body under the bommie and lifting its head and body to raise the entire coral structure ! the shark continued this behaviour until it was able to get close enough to suck the fish from the coral head . the bommie was estimated to weigh in excess of 450 kilogrammes ! dive the world obviously does not condone the tactics used by the film maker , however it does illustrate the strength and tenacity of this shark .
partial response plot for generalised linear models of log - transformed total shark abundance ( a - c ) and grey reef shark abundance ( d - f ) .
, the ancient shark god , provides protection for the people when at sea .
whysharksmatter talks about sharks and shark week on dr . kiki ' s science hour
on the shark dive you will be able to experience the breathtaking sight of up to eight species of sharks : blacktip reef sharks , whitetip reef sharks , grey reef sharks , silvertip sharks , tawny nurse sharks , sicklefin lemon sharks , bull sharks and the occasional tiger shark . in addition , you can also encounter giant groupers , maori wrasse , rainbow runners , giant trevally , java morays , eagle rays and more than 400 species of tropical reef fish , as documented by our 2010 census .
the origin of the name
nurse shark
is unclear . it may come from the sucking sound they make when hunting for prey in the sand , which vaguely resembles that of a nursing baby . or it may derive from an archaic word , nusse , meaning cat shark . the most likely theory though is that the name comes from the old english word for sea - floor shark : hurse .
nurse sharks are frequently encountered by divers , and most encounters are without incident . since nurse sharks are slower - moving fishes and are relatively tolerant of human beings , recreational divers seeking the thrill of a ride may grab them by the tail or by the dorsal fin . such encounters often end with a shark bite . once the bite is established , nurse sharks are reluctant to let go , and many small sharks either have been killed to remove them from the human victim or have been “worn” to a hospital for removal and treatment . bites can be severe because of the crushing power of their strong jaws . most attacks attributed to nurse sharks are provoked by humans , according to the international shark attack file maintained by the florida museum of natural history at the university of florida .
diving with sharks , often in combination with food baiting / provisioning , has become an important product of today’s recreational dive industry . whereas the effects baiting / provisioning has on the behaviour and abundance of individual shark species are starting to become known , there is an almost complete lack of equivalent data from multi - species shark diving sites . in this study , changes in species composition and relative abundances were determined at the shark reef marine reserve , a multi - species shark feeding site in fiji . using direct observation sampling methods , eight species of sharks ( bull shark carcharhinus leucas , grey reef shark carcharhinus amblyrhynchos , whitetip reef shark triaenodon obesus , blacktip reef shark carcharhinus melanopterus , tawny nurse shark nebrius ferrugineus , silvertip shark carcharhinus albimarginatus , sicklefin lemon shark negaprion acutidens , and tiger shark galeocerdo cuvier ) displayed inter - annual site fidelity between 2003 and 2012 . encounter rates and / or relative abundances of some species changed over time , overall resulting in more individuals ( mostly c . leucas ) of fewer species being encountered on average on shark feeding dives at the end of the study period . differences in shark community composition between the years 2004–2006 and 2007–2012 were evident , mostly because n . ferrugineus , c . albimarginatus and n . acutidens were much more abundant in 2004–2006 and very rare in the period of 2007–2012 . two explanations are offered for the observed changes in relative abundances over time , namely inter - specific interactions and operator - specific feeding protocols . both , possibly in combination , are suggested to be important determinants of species composition and encounter rates , and relative abundances at this shark provisioning site in fiji . this study , which includes the most species from a spatially confined shark provisioning site to date , suggests that long - term provisioning may result in competitive exclusion among shark species .
nurse sharks live off of sandy beaches , mud and sand flats , and from the intertidal zone on coral and rocky reefs to depths of 70 meters .
further information on gymnorhynchus isuri ( trypanorhyncha : gymnorhynchidae ) from the shortfin mako shark .
reefquest centre for shark research text and illustrations © r . aidan martin copyright | privacy
) . the term ' nusse ' or ' nurse ' was later extended to describe any large fish , especially a shark . although the spanish and dutch had been poking about the south pacific since about 1520 and 1642 , respectively , the english didn ' t begin exploring this region in earnest until 1768 , with the first voyage of captain james cook . therefore , english use of the term ' nurse ' to refer to a shark predates earliest british contact with south pacific islanders .
i would suggest that the etymology of the term ' nurse shark ' is pretty much as traced by lineaweaver and backus ( 1970 ) — see my post of 1 / 24 / 98 for a discussion . use in english of the name ' nuse ' or ' nurse - fish ' dates back to the 1550 ' s , when it was apparently used for what we now know as the spiny dogfish (
they are hardy and thrive in captivity which unfortunately sees them kept in aquariums across the globe , where they are often handfed . they can be feisty when on the end of a fishing line and have been known to ‘spit’ water in the faces of their hunters . tawny nurse sharks are one of the few species of shark to produce sound . when threatened , and out of their natural aquatic environment , they make grunting sounds between ‘spitting’ streams of water .
reproduction the tawny nurse shark has an aplacental viviparous ( ovoviviparous ) mode of reproduction . there is no embryonic nourishment from the placental structure within the mother ' s uterus ; the embryos feed off yolk contained within the egg case in which it grows . it appears that the tawny nurse shark practices oophagy on relatively large , cased nutritive eggs and is the first orectoloboid known to have uterine cannibalism . however , it is unknown if the fetuses of this species eat on other fetuses ( adelphophagy ) . in captivity , females lay cased eggs on the bottom substrate but these do not develop and may be nutritive and unfertilized . due to the confusion caused by the appearance of free eggs , this species was at one time considered to be oviparous . this species gives birth to litters of up to 8 pups , each measuring approximately 15 . 8 - 23 . 6 inches ( 40 - 60 cm ) in length at birth .
reproductive modes of elsmobranchs . shark news 9 : 1 - 3 ( june 1997 ) .
orders out of chaos - molecular phylogenetics reveals the complexity of shark and stingray tapeworm relationships .
whale shark ( rhincodon typus ) biology and ecology : a review of the primary literature .
nurse sharks have been observed resting on the bottom with their bodies supported on their fins , possibly providing a false shelter for crustaceans which they then ambush and eat .
whale sharks are not the only sharks you can expect to see around exmouth . reef sharks , mainly white tip reef sharks , are regular sightings at many dive sites , particularly on the navy pier . last summer there were over 20 whitetip sharks at the site , with up to 10 all reposing on the sand in one small area . quiet approach and observation allows divers to get within metres of these sharks ; often the first and closest underwater encounter with sharks for many of our divers . other sharks we have recorded seeing include grey nurse , tawny nurse , grey shark , oceanic white tip , bronze whaler and cat sharks .
for any shark diver , the species which are regular visitors to the reef come close to nirvana . to get an idea of how diverse the area is , of shark and man , a recent film by david diley , not only tells the story of the srmr but is a stunning showcase of the reef’s most regular visitors , including white - tip reefs , black - tip reefs , grey reefs , tawny nurse , sickle - fin lemons , silver - tip reefs , tigers , and – the species most consider to be the main attraction – bull sharks .
little has been documented about the life of young tawny nurse sharks . large females have been observed in the chagos archipelago ( about 500 km south of the maldives ) in the company of a single juvenile ( less than 1m long ) which may be a year old pup of hers . juveniles are known to rest on their pectoral fins , which are rolled under their bodies . it is thought that the space under the bodies of these predators may be mistaken for a home by a shelter - seeking fish or shrimp , unfortunately for the poor unsuspecting individual they become the tawny ' s next meal .
tawny nurse sharks have barbels , powerful jaws and sharp comb - like teeth that overlap . they have approximately 30 rows of teeth in their upper jaw and 27 rows in their lower jaw . they range in colour from yellowish , reddish , to greyish brown on top , and off - white on their belly . there are no ridges present on the body . their caudal fin ( tail like ) is moderately long , measuring over a ¼ of the total length of the shark .
a common description of the origin of the name nurse shark suggests that the sound they make when feeding at the surface resembles a nursing animal . however , the name is likely derived from the word nusse , a middle english form of the word nurse . nusse may have originated from the slurring of the middle english word huss , which was itself used in the 1500s to describe cat sharks or other large fish that were probably sharks .
for these reasons , responding to shark bites ( fatal or non - fatal ) by wishing all sharks dead , spreading panic or actually hunting down and killing sharks is irresponsible and unwise . instead , we should think like achmat hassiem , a south african shark attack survivor and adorned paralympian . he became a shark conservationist after his right leg was bitten off by a great white shark .
nurse sharks eat a variety of foods . their diet includes small fishes , shrimps , octopus , sea snails , crabs , lobsters , squid , sea urchin , and corals .
occurring along continental and insular shelves , the tawny nurse shark resides at depths ranging from the intertidal to depths of at least 230 feet ( 70 m ) but more commonly from 16 - 98 feet ( 5 - 30 m ) . it is observed on or near the bottom substrate in lagoons , sandy areas in close proximity to reefs , off sandy beaches , and along the outer edges of coral and rocky reefs . although this species is primarily nocturnal , it is sometimes active during daylight hours . it often hides in caves and crevices as well as in more exposed areas , this nurse shark has even been observed piled across or on top of each other in aggregations . it has a limited home range , returning to the same area every day after foraging for prey items .
the nurse shark inhabits inshore tropical and subtropical waters , where it is found at depths of less than one meter down to 130 metres ( 2 ) . it is frequently found on rocky and coral reefs , and in channels between mangroves keys and sand flats ( 2 ) .
mean depth of observation differed between species , with five species ( tawny nurse , tiger , white tip reef , black tip reef and grey reef ) observed predominantly on shallow sites ( < 40 m ) and three species ( silvertip , scalloped and great hammerheads ) observed mainly on deeper sites . 95 % confidence intervals for the mean depths indicate that the two groups occupied significantly different depth ranges ( fig 4 ) .
in the present study , we evaluate data from the shark reef marine reserve , a multi - species shark feeding site in fiji [ 16 ] , [ 17 ] . up to eight different species of sharks can be encountered at shark reef , namely bull sharks carcharhinus leucas , whitetip reef sharks triaenodon obesus , blacktip reef sharks carcharhinus melanopterus , tawny nurse sharks nebrius ferrugineus , silvertip sharks carcharhinus albimarginatus , sicklefin lemon sharks negaprion acutidens , c . amblyrhynchos and g . cuvier . since 2003 , parts of shark reef have been declared as a no - take zone that is visited 3 to 4 times per week by a single dive operator [ 17 ] . previous research from this site has shown that the number of c . leucas , the numerically dominant species at the shark reef marine reserve , increased over the years , but decreased over the course of a calendar year [ 9 ] , [ 16 ] . in 2006 , a competitor dive operator started to conduct shark feeding dives on the neighbouring lake reef ( fig . 1a ) , mostly on the same days and times when dives on shark reef take place .
the whale shark , rhincodon typus , is a livebearer : 300 embryos found in one ‘megamamma’ supreme .
it wouldn’t have occurred to me that the lack of females featured in shark week was an issue until i started a non - profit to fund shark research . at events , i met young girls that were being told by other kids that , “only boys like sharks” and being discouraged from following their passion . i realized that if your only experience with shark research / conservation is shark week – like it is for most kids – you may believe that shark science is a career only for men . the reality is , shark science is comprised of many women who live every week like it’s shark week . i wanted to find a way to connect the two groups , and so the gills club was born !
the nurse shark is included as a vulnerable species in the official list of endangered animals in brazil , fisheries are managed within united states ' waters , and the colombian government is considering a ban on the nurse shark fishery along with an extensive habitat protection campaign ( 1 ) . however , in regions outside of the western atlantic , the lack of data makes it difficult to assess the status of populations , and subsequently to implement appropriate conservation measures . measures recommended include the regulation of spear - fishing and the marine ornamental fish trade , compulsory release of incidentally caught sharks , and the establishment of no - fishing areas encompassing mating and breeding grounds ( 1 ) . countries should be motivated to take action to prevent over - fishing of the nurse shark as it is likely to be far more valuable alive for dive - tourism than as fisheries products ( 6 ) .
nocturnal by nature , the tawny nurse shark is most commonly seen during the day resting in caves or under ledges . by night , these predators use their large pharynx as a powerful suction pump to rapidly suck in reef organisms from inside holes and crevices . food of this shark includes corals , crabs , lobsters and other crustaceans , sea urchins , and reef fish including surgeonfish ( acanthuridae ) , queenfish ( carangidae ) and rabbitfish ( siganidas ) . these sharks may be one of the few animals that specializes in preying upon octopus , which may explain the timid nature of the abundant octopus we have observed hiding in reef crevices .
since the 1950s lemon sharks and the common atlantic nurse shark have been used in experiments to test the ability of sharks to learn . experiments performed in the 1960s showed that nurse sharks could be trained to respond to a sound signal from a bell and could remember the training after a several - month break between training sessions . other experiments conducted by the u . s . navy showed that they could be trained to retrieve a ring thrown into a pool by a trainer .
' plurse ' sounds rather like an example of the pidgin english widely spoken throughout much of melanesia , suggesting the possibility that it was the south pacific islanders who slurred the english word ' nurse ' and that ipso facto the english term for the shark in question predates the south pacific one .
the geographical range of the tawny nurse shark ranges includes waters off of south africa , mozambique , mauritius , seychelles , chagos archipelago and madagascar to red sea , maldives , persian gulf , india , malaysia , indonesia , singapore , thailand , viet nam , china , taiwan ( province of china ) , japan ( ryukyu islands , southern honshu ) , philippines ( luzon ) , papua new guinea , australia ( western australia , northern territory , and queensland ) , new caledonia , new ireland , samoa , palau , marshall islands , and tahiti .
a new genus and species of tetraphyllidean cestode from the spadenose shark , scoliodon laticaudus , in malaysian borneo .
attachment site specificity and the tapeworm assemblage in the spiral intestine of the blue shark ( prionace glauca ) .
your last resort if you actually get bitten would be to defend yourself by punching or kicking at the shark’s nose or clawing at its eyes and gills , then exiting the water as soon as the shark retreats .
with all of the improvements promised for 2015’s shark week , i do hope that rich ross plays close attention to this blog and that 2016 will feature the much more diverse and exciting reality of modern shark science .
the tawny nurse shark resides in inshore waters that are heavily fished and is often captured in demersal trawls , gill nets , and baited hook and line throughout much of its range outside of australia . in australian waters , this species is taken in small numbers as bycatch in gillnets and meshing . off queensland , australia it is fished recreationally as a big game fish and are prized as powerful fighters . the flesh is marketed as fresh or dried salted for human consumption while the fins are shipped to the asian shark fin market . its liver may also be utilized for vitamins and oil , the offal processed into fishmeal , and the thick hide used for leather .
this has been described as a much more docile species than its close relative , ginglymostoma cirratum , and apparently usually allows humans to touch and play with it without biting . however , there are a few non - fatal attack records of these sharks biting their tormentors , and clamping tightly onto them . because of its size and strength , the tawny shark should be regarded as potentially dangerous and treated with respect . this is a tough , hardy shark that readily survives in captivity .
they are thought to take advantage of dormant fish which would otherwise be too fast for the sharks to catch ; although their small mouths limit the size of prey items , the sharks have large throat cavities which are used as a sort of bellows valve . in this way nurse sharks are able to suck in their prey with a short , violent influx of water . nurse sharks are also known to consume
maximization of evolutionary trends for placental viviparity in the spadenose shark , scoliodon laticaudus . env . biol . fish .
a new species of calliobothrium ( tetraphyllidea : onchobothriidae ) from the whiskery shark , furgaleus macki , in australia .
effects of large - scale anthropogenic development on juvenile lemon shark ( negaprion brevirostris ) populations of bimini , bahamas .
named the best shark dive in the world by diving legends ron and valerie taylor , the fiji shark dive has been experienced by countless diving icons , professional photographers and cameramen , industry professionals and clients alike . this is the original and unmatched product featuring fiji’s unique and highly experienced crew of shark divers – much copied but never equalled !
in order to determine changes in species composition and relative abundances at the shark reef marine reserve , we asked the following questions : 1 ) did species composition and / or encounter rates change over time at the shark reef marine reserve ? 2 ) are there seasonal and / or long - term changes in relative abundance of the different shark species at the feeding site ? 3 ) does the presence of a competitor operator conducting shark feeds at a nearby reef have an effect on shark abundance at the shark reef feeding site ? in answering these questions , our results provide baseline data on the long - term trends in relative abundance and seasonal cycles , and help elucidate whether the numbers of the eight species of sharks visiting the shark reef marine reserve changed over the years . additionally , our data provide important fisheries - independent information on shark populations that can supplement long - term monitoring and serve for conservation purposes .
very little is known about most shark mating rituals , and the same holds true for the nurse shark . the atlantic nurse shark has been observed mating on the ocean floor . in general , the male inseminates the female with his claspers ( these are located between the male ' s pelvic fins ) . during mating he turns his claspers foward and inserts one into the female and transfers his sperm . nurse sharks can be either oviparous or ovoviparous . in oviparous organisms the eggs develop and hatch on the outside of the body . the pups , as baby sharks are called , hatch out of a leathery protective covering with the yolk attached and stay on the ocean floor until they fully mature . in ovoviparous creatures the eggs develop on the inside of the body and hatch within or immediately after extrusion by the parent . the yolk of these pups are hatched inside the uterus before the pups are developed , and they too have leathery eggs . these sharks have from 20 - 30 pups at a time . nurse sharks grow about 13 centimeters in length and 2 - 3 kilograms a year . they do not reach sexually maturity until they are from 15 to 20 years old .
to help divers find the best places to encounter the different species of sharks and rays that live in shallow water but it has slowly evolved into a much larger project containing information on all aspects of shark diving and shark photography .
the tawny shark embryos are oophagous , unique among carpet sharks , meaning that while they are still inside the mother’s uterus they feed on eggs produced by the ovary . generally 1 to 4 pups are born ( however up to 8 live young have been recorded ) and each measures about 40 cm . juveniles can be distinguished from adults by the presence of small dark spots on their skin .


the black crested mangabey ( lophocebus aterrimus ) is a species of primate in the family cercopithecidae .

it is found in angola and democratic republic of the congo .

its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests .

it is threatened by habitat loss .

black crested mangabey

black - crested mangabey geographic range in africa . map credit : chermundy and iucn .
zingo , a black - crested mangabey born at brookfield zoo . ( brookfield zoo )
a black crested mangabey , native to the forests of central africa , examines an enrichment puzzle .
the black crested mangabey occurs in primary and secondary rainforest , gallery forest and swamp land ( 4 ) .
the tana river crested mangabey cercocebus galeritus and the sanje mangabey cercocebus sanjei are listed as endangered by the international union for conservation of nature , while the black crested mangabey lophocebus aterminus ssp . is listed as near threatened .
the black crested mangabey is found in the democratic republic of the congo , south of the congo river , and in angola ( 1 ) .
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
portlet
) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href =
urltoken
title =
arkive species - black crested mangabey ( lophocebus aterrimus )
> < img src =
urltoken
alt =
arkive species - black crested mangabey ( lophocebus aterrimus )
title =
arkive species - black crested mangabey ( lophocebus aterrimus )
border =
0
/ > < / a >
the white - eyelid mangabey’s genus name “cerocebus” means
tail monkey
in greek ; the crested mangabey’s genus name “lophocebus” means
crest monkey .
zingo ,
a baby black - crested mangabey was born on july 4 , the zoo said . zingo was born to 7 - year - old mother kiwi and 15 - year - old father videll and is the first black - crested mangabey born at the zoo , which has exhibited the species since 2015 .
the black crested mangabey is classified as near threatened ( nt ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) and listed on appendix ii of cites ( 3 ) . subspecies : the northern black mangabey ( lophocebus aterrimus aterrimus ) is classified as near threatened and the southern black mangabey ( lophocebus aterrimus opdenboschi ) is classified as data deficient ( dd ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
as its name suggests , the black crested mangabey ( lophocebus aterrimus ) can be distinguished from other mangabey species by the prominent pointed black crest of hair on top of its head ( 4 ) . often called “the ones with the thin waist” by locals ( 5 ) , mangabeys are slender monkeys of medium size , with tails that are longer than the length of the body ( 6 ) . the black crested mangabey has coarse black fur on the rest of its body , and grey , outward - curving cheek whiskers ( 7 ) .
listed under class b of the african convention on the conservation of nature and natural resources , the capturing and killing of the black - crested mangabey is currently permitted only with permission .
little information is available on the breeding biology of the black crested mangabey in the wild . in the democratic republic of the congo , the black crested mangabey has been recorded giving birth in the wet season , in july and august ( 16 ) . mangabeys commonly give birth to a single young after a gestation period of five and a half to six months ( 9 ) .
the female black crested mangabey is typically smaller and more slender than the male ( 2 ) , and the fur of the juvenile is usually darker than that of the adults ( 8 ) .
the yokokala faunal reserve ( also in the democratic republic of the congo ) , was originally created to conserve the population of bonobos , and now also works to conserve the black - crested mangabey population .
like many other mangabey species , the black crested mangabey is also hunted for bushmeat ( 1 ) ( 14 ) . the construction of roads by logging companies opens up previously inaccessible areas of forest , increasing the threat of hunting for the region’s wildlife ( 17 ) .
the black crested mangabey is listed under appendix ii of the convention of international trade in endangered species ( cites ) , meaning that international trade in this species should be carefully controlled ( 3 ) . it is also listed under class b of the african convention on the conservation of nature and natural resources , which means that capture and killing of the black crested mangabey is only allowed with permission ( 18 ) .
the crowned hawk eagle ( stephanoaetus coronatus ) is a common predator of the black crested mangabey . when this bird is detected , the mangabey gives an alarm - bark then seeks cover in the dense canopy foliage , where it will remain silent for many hours ( 13 ) .
in the 1920s . gray - cheeked and cherry - headed mangabeys were added in the 1930s , and we celebrated the birth of our first sooty mangabey in 1933 and the birth of the first gray - cheeked mangabey in the us in 1936 . black - crested mangabeys were added in 1960 , and our first golden - bellied mangabey arrived in 1991 .
today , the zoo is home to northern black - crested mangabeys . they can be seen living with colobus monkeys along the monkey trail in lost forest .
two subspecies of the black crested mangabey are recognised . lophocebus aterrimus aterrimus occurs in the central congo basin , while lophocebus aterrimus opdenboschi occurs in south - western democratic republic of the congoand north - eastern angola ( 1 ) .
female black - crested mangabeys emit signs of being ready to breed to their male counterparts during estrus , when their buttocks region swells and takes on a pinkish hue .
along with habitat loss and destruction , the black - crested mangabey is also naturally threatened by predators , serving in the food chain for leopards , large birds like crowned eagles , and humans who hunt them for the bush - meat trade .
the black crested mangabey lives in multi - male , multi - female troops of 9 to 16 individuals ( 4 ) . each troop inhabits a home range of approximately 48 to 70 hectares , which may overlap with the range of other troops ( 4 ) .
the black crested mangabey is also found in the lomako - yokokala faunal reserve in the democratic republic of the congo ( 1 ) , an area created in 2006 to conserve an important population of bonobos ( pan paniscus ) and numerous other species ( 20 ) .
the zoo tv series : baby white crowned mangabey hand reared in dublin zoo . mp4
horn , a . d . ( 1987 ) the socioecology of the black mangabey ( cercocebus aterrimus ) near lake tumba , zaire . american journal of primatology , 12 : 165 - 180 .
the black - crested mangabeys’ genus name , “lophocebus , ” means
crest monkey
in greek .  locals have referred to them as ‘baboon - mangabeys , ’ since they resemble the baboon species .
since the black crested mangabey does not have the contrasting , bright eyelids which are used as social signals by other mangabey species , it relies on a series of calls for communication ( 9 ) . the distinct ‘whoop - gobble’ call can be heard from a distance of one kilometre and is used by sexually mature males to maintain distance between groups . the ‘whoop’ functions as a signal for others to listen and the ‘gobble’ is specific to each individual , showing their location in the forest ( 10 ) . a variety of nasal grunts are used to indicate when the group starts to move , and the male black crested mangabey also emits grunts to greet and comfort juveniles ( 10 ) .
the zoo said that a young mangabey will cling to its mom ' s abdomen as she moves around .
the long tail of the golden - bellied mangabey , like other old world monkeys , is not prehensile .
the black crested mangabey occurs in the salonga national park in the democratic republic of the congo ( 1 ) , an area where the united nations educational , scientific and cultural organization ( unesco ) and united nations foundation ( unf ) are working to preserve the forest and its wildlife by training and motivating staff to protect the park ( 19 ) .
the black crested mangabey’s diet consists primarily of fruit and seeds , although it may also feed on some flowers , young leaves , nectar and bark ( 1 ) ( 14 ) . small animal prey , such as insects , may also be occasionally eaten ( 4 ) ( 14 ) . all mangabey species have large incisors to bite into fruit and flat molars which help to crack open and crush hard seeds ( 15 ) . mangabeys also have large food pouches in the cheeks , used to store food ( 5 ) .
the salonga national park in the democratic republic of the congo , is an area where the united nations educational , scientific and cultural organization ( unesco ) and united nations foundation ( unf ) works to preserve the forest and its inhabitants , including their population of black - crested mangabeys .
the unregulated and often illegal extraction of timber from the congo basin is probably the greatest threat to the black crested mangabey , as an unrelenting demand for timber from around the world drives the destruction of this primate’s habitat ( 1 ) ( 14 ) ( 17 ) . the threat of logging is compounded by a growing human population in the region , causing an increase in land converted for cultivation ( 17 ) .
a highly arboreal monkey ( 6 ) ( 11 ) , the black crested mangabey typically forages in the middle and upper canopy , 12 to 30 metres off the ground ( 4 ) . mangabeys are able to jump up to five metres between trees as they forage ( 4 ) , but may also occasionally venture down to the forest floor in search of food ( 12 ) . most foraging takes place in the morning ( 13 ) .
mangabeys , like this one grooming another golden - bellied mangabey ' s back , move through the forest by day , traveling in troops .
being highly social creatures , the nature of the black - crested mangabey is known as non - aggressive and friendly . since they are mostly tree dwellers , or arboreal by nature , they are considered to be excellent jumpers , and will very seldom descend to the forest grounds . this species is also known to be diurnal , which means their foraging activity is concentrated during the daytime . they use a locomotion known as arboreal quadrupedalism , where they move through branches horizontally , and at a rapid pace , on all four of their limbs .
 diet the diet of a black - crested mangabey includes primarily vegetative substances , like fruit , nuts , seeds , leaves and flowers . nectar is also sometimes an important food source during some months , along with maize or sweet potatoes from neighboring crops . their large incisors and flat molars allow them to crack open hard seeds or nuts , and bite into fruit and that’s far too tough - skinned for other primates . they will also sometimes use their teeth to rip off the bark on trees , allowing them to feed upon insects and spiders living underneath .
taxonomists have put mangabeys into two separate genera based on physical differences : white - eyelid mangabeys ( cercocebus species ) and crested mangabeys ( lophocebus species ) which have dark skin and eyelids and crests of hair on their heads . in 2006 , a third genera was added : rungwecebus , for the highland mangabey , which is the first new primate genus in 83 years .
 ecological role dispersing seeds around the forest is one of the main ecological roles that black - crested mangabeys play in helping to regrow the forests that they occupy . they have also been seen to toss fruit to the ground after taking a single bite , which inadvertently , serves as a source of food for some other species . pollination may also occur as a result of their consumption of nectar .
black - crested mangabeys are classified as near threatened ( nt ) on the iucn red list and listed on appendix ii of convention of international trade in endangered species ( cites ) . one of the greatest threats to this species is the illegal and unregulated uprooting of timber from the congo basin . as the human population continues to expand in that area , the need for land converted for human logging becomes even greater , thus diminishing the homes of these creatures .
the mangabey was named for what europeans thought was their homeland . the first shipment of these primates was labeled as coming from mangabe , a port in madagascar , but there are no mangabeys native to madagascar .
white - eyelid mangabeys are most closely related to mandrills and drills , and the males are much larger than the females . crested mangabeys are more closely related to baboons and geladas , and both males and females are about the same size .
people continue to destroy mangabey habitat by logging the trees in their forest homes and hunting the monkeys illegally for bushmeat . and because mangabeys are such fruit lovers , they tend to raid fruit plantations and are often killed as pests .
mangabeys can be golden brown , gray , dark brown , or a soft black , depending on the species or subspecies , usually with a lighter color on the underbelly . youngsters are generally darker than the adults . white - collared mangabeys have reddish hair on their head , a
beard
on each cheek , and white hair that wraps around their neck like a collar ( hence the name ! ) . black mangabeys have long , grayish brown whiskers that almost cover their ears and a high crest on their head—a pointy hairdo !
these large forest dwellers are found only in africa . they look somewhat like guenons but are bigger . local people call some of them
the ones with the thin waist
or
four - eyed monkeys ,
because some mangabey species have bright white eyelids .
including ( over ) hunting and habitat loss . many mangabey populations are severely limited in population size and areas of inhabited forest . along with other large primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas , these monkeys are among the first of the larger mammals to disappear from forests close to human settlements .
when a male becomes sexually mature , he leaves his troop to find another one to join . if he can ' t find one , he lives alone until he does ; single males do not form all - male groups . when there is plenty of food available , mangabey troops often gather together for a while and even exchange troop members .
mangabeys have some interesting ways of communicating with each other . it ' s often hard to see one another in the dense forest canopy , so sound is very important . in fact , mangabeys can be very noisy ! a special throat sac gives them a booming voice . the sac is larger in the adult male—he can make shrieking alarm calls to alert others to danger , and he barks , twitters , and grunts to let other mangabey groups in the area know where his is so they don ' t accidentally intrude . the adult females often join in with a loud chorus .
much like baboons , a female mangabey ' s buttocks swell when she is ready to breed . this is her visual signal to the adult males . a single infant is born with soft fur , and its eyes are open . its instinct to grasp onto its mother is so strong that it often grabs at the mother ' s hair with its hands as it ' s being born ! newborns cling to the mother ' s belly ; older infants often ride on her back . young are weaned when 7 to 10 months old , but stay near their mother until she gives birth to a new sibling . mature females stay with their troop , but males leave the group when they are about five years old .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference ( book , 2005 ) [ worldcat . org ]
your web browser is not enabled for javascript . some features of worldcat will not be available .
your list has reached the maximum number of items . please create a new list with a new name ; move some items to a new or existing list ; or delete some items .
note : citations are based on reference standards . however , formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study . the specific requirements or preferences of your reviewing publisher , classroom teacher , institution or organization should be applied .
the e - mail address ( es ) field is required . please enter recipient e - mail address ( es ) .
the e - mail address ( es ) you entered is ( are ) not in a valid format . please re - enter recipient e - mail address ( es ) .
i thought you might be interested in this item at urltoken title : mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference author : don e wilson ; deeann m reeder publisher : baltimore : johns hopkins university press , ©2005 . isbn / issn : 0801882214 9780801882210 0801882389 9780801882388 0801882397 9780801882395 oclc : 57557352
wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of
information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
- - publisher ' s website .
please choose whether or not you want other users to be able to see on your profile that this library is a favorite of yours .
this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
a uniquely valuable compendium of taxonomic and distributional data on the world ' s living and historically extinct mammalian species . contributors and editors alike deserve the thanks of all
add tags for
mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference
.
you may have already requested this item . please select ok if you would like to proceed with this request anyway .
wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
- - publisher ' s website .
worldcat is the world ' s largest library catalog , helping you find library materials online . learn more ››
don ' t have an account ? you can easily create a free account .
this information is awaiting authentication by a species expert , and will be updated as soon as possible . if you are able to help please contact : arkive @ urltoken
kingdon , j . ( 1997 ) the kingdon field guide to african mammals . academic press , london .
rowe , n . ( 1996 ) the pictorial guide to the living primates . pogonia press , rhode island .
macdonald , d . w . ( 2006 ) the new encyclopedia of mammals . oxford university press , oxford .
groves , c . ( 2001 ) primate taxonomy . smithsonian institution press , washington d . c .
field , l . p . ( 2003 ) mangabeys : cercocebus and lophocebus . north american regional studbook . sacramento zoo , sacramento .
estes , r . d . ( 1991 ) the behavior guide to african mammals . university of california press : california .
dunbar , r . and barrett , l . ( 2000 ) cousins . bbc worldwide , london .
lee , p . c . , thornback , j . and bennett , e . l . ( 1988 ) threatened primates of africa . the iucn red data book . iucn , gland , switzerland and cambridge .
strier , k . b . ( 2000 ) primate behavioural ecology . allyn & bacon , boston .
nowak , r . m . ( 1999 ) primates of the world . the john hopkins university press , baltimore , maryland .
african wildlife foundation ( 2006 ) a big win for conservation in drc - lomako yokokala faunal reserve officially gazetted . awf , 14 july . available at : urltoken
kevin schafer photography 2148 halleck ave sw seattle wa 98116 usa tel : + 01 ( 206 ) 933 - 1668 fax : + 01 ( 206 ) 933 - 1659 kevin @ urltoken http : / / www . urltoken
terms of use - the displayed portlet may be used as a link from your website to arkive ' s online content for private , scientific , conservation or educational purposes only . it may not be used within apps .
myarkive offers the scrapbook feature to signed - up members , allowing you to organize your favourite arkive images and videos and share them with friends .
team wild , an elite squadron of science superheroes , needs your help ! your mission : protect and conserve the planet’s species and habitats from destruction .
wildscreen is a registered charity in england and wales no . 299450 wildscreen usa is a registered 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) non - profit organisation in the usa
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
grubb et al . ( 2003 ) recognized two subspecies , l . a . aterrimus and l . a . opdenboschi , in contrast to groves ( 2001 , 2005 ) who considered the two as worthy of recognition as distinct species .
justification : listed as near threatened in view of the intensifying hunting pressure for the bushmeat trade with additional pressure from habitat loss , which is believed to have resulted in a decline in the order of 20 - 25 % over the past ~ 27 years . almost qualifies as threatened under criterion a2d .
this species is found south of the congo river in the democratic republic of the congo , in rainforest in lowland areas of the south - west congo basin and into angola ( gautier - hion et al . 1999 ) . there are two subspecies ( following grubb et al . 2003 ) : l . a . aterrimus is found in the central congo basin ; l . a . opdenboschi is found in north - eastern angola and south - western democratic republic of the congo .
although widespread , its population size is not really known and further details are needed . densities of 70 individuals / km² have been recorded in some localities .
this species is found in primary and secondary moist forests . in salonga national park , it has been observed in swamp forests , but does not occupy swamp in lomako ( mcgraw 1994 ) . it utilizes all forest levels ( especially the middle canopy layers ) , but seldom descends to the ground ( horn 1987 ; mcgraw 1994 ) . its diet consists largely of fruits and seeds , with high rates of nectarivory in some months of the year in salonga ; foraging activity is concentrated in the early morning ( horn 1987 ; mcgraw 1994 ; gautier - hion and maisels 1994 ) .
little is known about the status of this species . however , it is subject to intensive , uncontrolled hunting for its meat in most parts of the range , and it is also vulnerable to loss of forest habitat .
this species is listed on appendix ii of cites and as class b according to the african convention . it is present in salonga national park , lukuru community reservation and the proposed lomako conservation area .
to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .
) , to whom they are believed to have diverged from only about four million years ago .
diurnal : foraging for food is done in the early morning or daylight hours .
primary rainforest : rainforest that has remained undisturbed for a long time and has reached a mature condition .
secondary rainforest : rainforest that has re - grown after a major disturbance , such as fire or timber harvest , but has not yet reached the mature state of primary rainforest .
philopatric : tending to return to or remain near a particular site or area .
estrus : a recurring period of sexual receptivity and fertility in many female mammals .
males of this species often times leave their natal groups , while females are conversely philopatric , and remain in their natal groups as central figures . smaller groups are sometimes formed that split off from the main group or troop .
living in a multi - male , multi - female group of 9 to 16 individuals , each groups’ home range may overlap with the home range of another group , as they can occupy a range of 118 to 173 acres ( 47 to 70 hectares ) of land each .
the wet seasons in july and august are when females typically give birth . the gestation period lasts for a period of 5 ½ to 6 months , resulting in a birth of a single offspring . babies - who can weigh anywhere between 1 . 1 to 1 . 3lbs ( 18 to 21oz ) , cling to their mothers’ bellies , and ride on their mothers’ backs when juveniles .
< p > an evidence describes the source of an annotation , e . g . an experiment that has been published in the scientific literature , an orthologous protein , a record from another database , etc . < / p > < p > < a href =
/ manual / evidences
> more . . . < / a > < / p >
help pages , faqs , uniprotkb manual , documents , news archive and biocuration projects .
you are using a version of browser that may not display all the features of this website . please consider upgrading your browser .
< p > when browsing through different uniprot proteins , you can use the ‘basket’ to save them , so that you can back to find or analyse them later . < p > < a href = ' / help / basket ' target = ' _ top ' > more . . . < / a > < / p >
< p > this will take you to the blast page where you can edit options < / p > < p > < a href =
/ help / sequence - searches
> more . . < / a > < / p >
we ' d like to inform you that we have updated our privacy notice to comply with europe’s new general data protection regulation ( gdpr ) that applies since 25 may 2018 .
sorry , but the location you entered was not found . please try again .
if you ' re looking for something to do this weekend , you might want to head to the brookfield zoo to meet the newest arrival .
if you ' re lucky , you ' ll be able to see zingo in the tropic world : africa exhibit . the mangabeys have access to the habitat on a rotation basis with the colobus , another primate species , until the new family gets acclimated and the groups can be introduced to each other .
copyright © 2018 abc inc . , wls - tv chicago . all rights reserved .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
primate info net is maintained by the wisconsin primate research center ( wprc ) library at the university of wisconsin - madison . wprc programs are supported by grant numbers rr000167 and rr015311 , national primate centers program , national center for research resources , the national institutes of health .
disclaimer : the wisconsin primate research center provides primate info net as an informational service . we are not responsible for the content of linked sites , nor does inclusion of a link imply endorsement of the views expressed in that content .
all mangabeys have a tail that is longer than their body , providing balance for them as they scamper through the rain forest canopy .
adult male mangabeys also make a sound that biologists call a whoop - gobble . the whoop gets the attention of other mangabeys in the area ; the gobble tells everyone who and where he is . this unique call may be heard for a distance of up to 1 , 000 yards ( 1 kilometer ) .
white is an important color when you need to get your point across . white - collared mangabeys use movements of their white - tipped tails to express themselves . white hair on the underside of the chin helps make other facial gestures more noticeable . for white - eyelid mangabeys , batting their eyelids and raising their eyebrows can have a whole range of meanings . making these facial expressions and flashing their white eyelids against their darker fur help get the message across . flashing eyelids can mean
warning—watch your step !
spending most of their time there . however , white - eyelid mangabeys are also comfortable on the ground , traveling on their hands and feet between patches of forest or to forage in the leaf litter for tasty food items . in some areas of the forest , the ground is swampy , but that’s not a problem for mangabeys . webbing between their fingers and toes helps these amazing monkeys swim !
all mangabeys are excellent jumpers , and gray - cheeked mangabeys and white - collared mangabeys have a tail that is strong enough to hook onto branches as they leap about the forest canopy .
mangabeys are mainly fruit eaters , although they can also eat leaves , nuts , seeds , insects , and spiders . powerful teeth and jaws help them crack hard nut shells or bite into thick - skinned fruits . mangabeys also tear bark from trees using their teeth and hands to find bugs and spiders hiding underneath . large cheek pouches act like a shopping cart : mangabeys fill their pouches with food until full ! the biggest meal of the day for mangabeys is breakfast , and they start foraging for food in the early morning , often before the sun comes up .
like many monkey species , mangabeys lick nectar from flowers , moving from tree to tree for this sweet feast , earning them status as pollinators as well as seed dispersers .
at the san diego zoo , the mangabeys are offered low - starch , high - fiber biscuits , assorted fruits ( such as apples , grapes , melons ) , vegetables ( green beans , corn , eggplant ) , and greens ( cabbage , lettuce , kale ) . enrichment treats can include raisins , popcorn , and peanuts .
, depending on the species and the availability of food and habitat . there is usually one adult male that acts as leader and the troop ' s defender , but sometimes the larger troops have two or three adult males that split off with their own family units to forage for food .
the association of zoos and aquariums has a species survival plan ( ssp ) for mangabeys which helps to maintain genetic diversity in zoo populations ; the ssp works with various zoos to help them care for these primates . san diego zoo global is involved in the ssp effort to protect these forest monkeys from extinction .
you can help us bring mangabeys and other primate species back from the brink by supporting the san diego zoo global wildlife conservancy . together we can save and protect wildlife around the globe .


the greater musky fruit bat ( ptenochirus jagori ) is a species of megabat in the family pteropodidae .

it is endemic to the philippines .

it was named by peters for fedor jagor .

greater musky fruit bat

id to ptenochirus sp . suggested by rai gomez ( philippine bat champions ) .
species confirmed by balete ds ( philippine bat champions ) and added it is a juvenile . urltoken
total length 120 - 145 mm ; tail 6 - 18 mm ; ear 18 - 25 mm ; forearm 76 - 91 mm ; weight 62 - 97 g . a fairly large fruit bat with a broad , dark head and stout muzzle . four upper and two lower incisors . adults with a shoulder ruff of fur , usually with a gland beneath the ruff that produces a yellow oily material , which stains the ruff . a distinctive odor of “sweet musty cinnamon” is usually present , especially on males . males slightly larger and darker than females . - urltoken
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
ong , p . , rosell - ambal , g . & tabaranza , b . , heaney , l . , pedregosa , m . , paguntalan , l . m . , cariño , a . b . , ramayla , s . , duya , p . , warguez , d . , alcala , e . , garcia , h . , pamaong , r . , gonzalez , j . c . & lorica , r . p .
hutson , a . m . , racey , p . a . ( chiroptera red list authority ) & stuart , s . n . ( global mammal assessment team )
justification : listed as least concern because is a very common and widespread , tolerates degraded habitats ( including urban areas ) to some extent , and because its population is thought to be stable .
this frugivorous tree and cave roosting species which occurs from sea level to at least 1 , 950 m is abundant in primary forest and common in secondary forest . p . jagor i is occasionally present in agricultural areas near forest and has been found in degraded habitats on cebu and negros ; elsewhere it has been recorded from urban areas , including the suburbs of manila and the campus of the university of the philippines ( l . heaney pers . comm . 2008 ) .
this species has no doubt declined due to forest loss , but overall it remains common and is not significantly threatened .
ong , p . , rosell - ambal , g . & tabaranza , b . , heaney , l . , pedregosa , m . , paguntalan , l . m . , cariño , a . b . , ramayla , s . , duya , p . , warguez , d . , alcala , e . , garcia , h . , pamaong , r . , gonzalez , j . c . & lorica , r . p . 2008 .
to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .
kari pihlaviita added the finnish common name
isofilippiinienhekko
to
ptenochirus jagori ( peters , 1861 )
.
eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .
to request an improvement , please leave a comment on the page . thank you !
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 transitional / / en
urltoken
simmons , nancy b . / wilson , don e . , and deeann m . reeder , eds .
mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference , 3rd ed . , vols . 1 & 2
mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference , 2nd ed . , 3rd printing
with contributions by bernadette n . graham , adam p . potter , and mariana m . upmeyer
status : iucn / ssc action plan ( 1992 ) - not threatened . iucn 2003 - lower risk ( lc )
comments : sometimes misspelled jagorii ( e . g . , corbet and hill , 1992 )
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
confused by a class within a class or an order within an order ? please see our brief essay .
biokids is sponsored in part by the interagency education research initiative . it is a partnership of the university of michigan school of education , university of michigan museum of zoology , and the detroit public schools . this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation under grant drl - 0628151 . copyright © 2002 - 2018 , the regents of the university of michigan . all rights reserved .
project noah is a tool to explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere .
spotted flying out of the entrance of un - named cave in brgy . amalbalan , dasol , pangasinan .
in the central philippine p . jagori probably has two synchronized birth periods each year that are separated by four months and vary in timing from island to island . gestation lasts about four months and lactation about three months . there usually is a single young , occasionally twins… on mount makiling , luzon , ingle ( 1992 ) found the birth periods to be april - may and september . - walker’s mammals of the world , vol . 1 by ronald m . nowak , p . 288 .