English Name: Tawny nurse shark Family: GINGLYMOSTOMATIDAE
Local Name: Nidhan miyaru
Order: Orectolohiformes
Size: Max. just over 3 m
Distinctive Characters: Body without ridges. Caudal fin about 30% of total length. Pectoral. dorsal and anal fins with angular apices. Teeth compressed. with moderate central cusp and 4—6 smaller cusps on sides.
Colour: Brown, from tan to dark grey brown.
Habitat and Biology: Occurs in shallow waters from the intertidal zone to a depth of at least 70 ni. Demersal on coral and rocky reefs, in lagoons and on sand flats. Feeds on a variety of bottom invertebrates, corals, and small fishes. Mainly nocturnal, often resting in caves or under overhangs by day. Ovoviviparous: number of young at least 4 per uterus.
Distribution: Indo-Pacific.
Remarks: Four individuals of Nebrius ferrugineus (of length 134—226 cm in total length) were taken by handline and longline by R.V. ’ Farumas’during the reef fish resources survey (Anderson and Ahmed,
1993, p.55). This is a tough and hardy shark that readily survives in captivity. N concolor RüppeIl. 1837 is a synonym.
