Lemon sharks are short-nosed and stocky sharks with a powerful bite. It should come as no surprise that their yellow-brown pitted skin can have the appearance of a lemon. This helps them to blend in against sandy seafloors where they can lay motionless. Females give birth to live young known as pups in shallow nursery waters, where they remain for several years.
Shallow waters, usually in or near mangroves, provide the protection from larger sharks the pups need, whilst also offering rich hunting grounds. Lemon sharks are bottom dwellers, preferring the tropical shallow waters of coral reefs, mangroves, bays and estuaries. They are adapted to withstand different salinities and have even been known to travel up rivers in freshwater.
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