Family: Hexanchidae, Cow Sharks view all from this family

Description To 16' (4.8 m). Elongated. Gray. 1 dorsal fin, located far back; pelvic fins far back, near anal fin; tail fin's upper lobe long, swept-back, notched. No fin spines. 6 pairs of gill slits; not continuous across throat. Lower jaw has a series of elongate, sawtooth-like teeth, each with 6-9 cusps.

Habitat Ocean waters, often on reefs.

Range In Atlantic from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Cuba; in Pacific from northern British Columbia to Bahia de Todos Santos, Baja California.

Discussion This nurse shark is sluggish, lethargic, and usually docile, although its strong teeth and jaws can cause havoc when tangled in fishing gear. Gives birth to as many as 100 fully formed young up to 16" (40 cm) long. The young provide for themselves from birth.