Caribbean Reef Shark

Use the list below to find out more on specific sharks found around Bimini.

Sharks Lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris) Caribbean Reef Shark (Carcharhinus perezi) Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) Great Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna mokarran) Blacknose Shark (Carcharhinus acronotus) Atlantic/Caribbean Sharpnose Shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae/porosus) Bonnethead Shark (Sphyrna tiburo) Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) Spinner Shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna) Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) Big-eye Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus nakamurai)

Rays Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari) Southern Stingray (Dasyatis americana) Yellow Stingray (Urolophus jamaicensis) Manta Ray (Manta birostris) Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata)

Lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris)

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Identification: Short snout; yellowish tone to the skin (giving it its name); large second dorsal fin (nearly the same size as the first dorsal). Maximum size: 11 ft. (3.4m) Diet: Large invertebrates and fish, including smaller lemon sharks. Notes from Bimini: Juvenile lemon sharks spend the first 3-4 yrs. of their lives in the mangrove nurseries of Bimini. Sub-adult lemon sharks (ages ~ 4-12) then increase their range and inhabit the Main Lagoon between North and South Bimini. Mature lemon sharks frequent Bimini every spring to mate and give birth to live pups in the nursery areas that make up much of Bimini's shallow coastline.

Caribbean Reef Shark (Carcharhinus perezi)

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Identification: Short, blunt snout; Gray, with no conspicuous markings ; Relatively small first dorsal fin, with a short trailing tip. Maximum size: 10 ft. (3m) Diet: Bony reef fish, small sharks & rays, cephalopods. Notes from Bimini: Caribbean Reef Sharks are very common across the Bahamas, and especially in Bimini. They are found in abundance on the coral reefs that extend along Bimini's western edge, and far beyond to the north and south. BBFS volunteers can participate in a "Shark Dive" where they are able to experience several Caribbean Reef Sharks feeding on a shallow reef site.

Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)

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Identification: Very short, blunt snout; pattern of dark gray stripes and bands (less prominent in larger adults); curved, strongly serrated teeth Maximum size: 18 - 23 ft. (5.6 - 7.4m) Diet: One of the very few, true shark scavengers. Considered an omnivorous feeder. Notes from Bimini: Tiger sharks are commonly caught and tagged during the Sharklab's semi-monthly long-lining sessions on the eastern edge of the Main Lagoon. They enter the shallow waters of Bimini, usually around dusk, to feed. Considered a long migrator, Tiger sharks tagged in Bimini have been recaptured several hundred miles away.

Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)

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Identification: Stocky body, with long, pointed snout; white stripe along side of gray body; black markings on the tips of the dorsal fin, pectoral fins, and lower lobe of caudal fin. Maximum size: 8 ft (2.4m) Diet: fish (especially small fish in schools), crustaceans, and squid. Notes from Bimini: Blacktips are very common around Bimini, especially the area near East Wells, North Bimini. During the late summer months, they can be found in great abundance all around Bimini. This increase in occurrence marks the mating season for Blacktip sharks in Bimini.

Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)

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Identification: Pair of barbels between nostrils; two dorsal fins of near equal size, placed far back on body; brown to brown-gray skin Maximum size: 13-14 ft (4 - 4.25m) Diet: Lobster and other crustaceans, bottom dwelling invertebrates, fish Notes from Bimini: Nurse sharks are very common around Bimini. They can be found in the shallow lagoons, out on the reef, and huddled under the many wrecks that surround the island. During June, it is common to see Nurse Sharks mating in the shallow waters between North and South Bimini.

Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)

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Identification: Very short, rounded snout; small eyes; pointed first dorsal fin, set fairly far forward on the body Maximum size: 11 ft ( 3.4 m) Diet: Wide variety of fishes (including sharks and rays), invertebrates, birds, mammals and carrion. Notes from Bimini: Bull sharks can occasionally be seen entering the shallow flats around Bimini, where they can become aggressive if heavily provoked. For the first time in BBFS history, two small sub-adult bull sharks have been caught and tagged recently. These captures provide potentially valuable information in understanding the life history of bull sharks around Bimini. From fall until spring, large bull sharks can be found almost nightly as they enter the Alicetown Channel to feed on the scraps thrown from the fish cleaning stations.

Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)

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Identification: Thick, broad head; extremely high, pointed first dorsal fin; almost flat leading edge of head Maximum size: 20 ft. (6 m) Diet: stingrays, spotted-eagle rays, and other fish. Notes from Bimini: Great Hammerheads can be found on the reef, and around the shallow banks of Bimini. They have been seen and photographed eating southern stingrays, and spotted eagle rays in the shallow waters near the island. Spotted eagle rays often jump high into the air, sometimes in an attempt to escape Great Hammerheads.

Blacknose Shark (Carcharhinus acronotus)

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Identification: Dark coloration on the underside of snout tip; almost white, trailing edge of pectoral fins; long, pointed snout Maximum size: 6.6ft ( 2m) Diet: Small bony fishes. Notes from Bimini: Blacknose sharks are very common on the coral reefs around Bimini, and can even be found on the seagrass beds behind the Sharklab. Along with Caribbean Reef Sharks, they comprise the most common species of sharks seen during the BBFS Shark Dive.

Atlantic/Caribbean Sharpnose Shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae/porosus)	Back to Top
Identification: Small, slender body; long, pointed snout; large eyes Maximum size: 3 1/3 ft ( 1 m) Diet: Small fishes and invertebrates. Notes from Bimini: The Atlantic and Caribbean Sharpnose shark can only be distinguished by vertebral counts, though both can be found in Bimini. They are commonly caught in nets set for juvenile lemon sharks, especially on the South Bimini Coast.

Bonnethead Shark (Sphyrna tiburo)	Back to Top
Identification: Smooth, rounded, shovel-shaped head; smallest hammerhead species; small pectoral fins. Maximum size: 5 ft. ( 1.5m) Diet: Crustaceans, mollusks, and small fishes. Notes from Bimini: Bonnetheads were once common residents of the waters around Bimini, often found in the North Sound. Now they are less common, but can still be found in the shallow waters along the South Bimini Coast.

Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)

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© tim calver Identification: Leading edge of head arches backwards; prominent median arch in front of head; smaller first dorsal fin than S. mokarran Maximum size: 10-13 ft. (3-4 m) Diet: Bony fishes & cephalopods. Notes from Bimini: Once commonly found along the western coast of Bimini, Scalloped Hammerheads have become quite rare in the waters around the island. This species of Hammerhead is often found schooling in great numbers in other places around the world.

Spinner Shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna)	Back to Top
Identification: Long, pointed snout; adults have black-tipped anal, pectoral and second dorsal fin; gray or bronze dorsal surface Maximum size: 9 ft (2.7m) Diet: Bony fishes and cephalopods. Notes from Bimini: Sometimes found in large schools off the eastern coast of Florida, the Spinner Shark is only known in Bimini from 2 recorded captures.

Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)

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© eric cheng Identification: Huge, bluish shark with white spots and lines on dorsal surface; long ridges along body; mouth extends across full width of head Maximum size: Up to 50 ft (15 m) Diet: Filter-feeds on plankton. Notes from Bimini: In 1954, a whale shark was caught in the waters off Bimini, unfortunately the shark died. Since then very few have been spotted in the area, although the deep waters of the Gulf Stream off Bimini's western shore are more than suitable for this, the largest fish in the world

Big-eye Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus nakamurai)

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Identification: Single dorsal fin; Six gill slits; Five broad, sawlike teeth on each side of the lower jaw Maximum size: 5 - 6 ft (180 cm) Diet: Probably feeds on bony fish and crustaceans Notes from Bimini: While the staff of the BBFS has heard several reports of Sixgill sharks being caught around Bimini, May of 2005 marked our first official capture of this deep-water shark. The first deep-water longline set by the BBFS yielded 6 sharks on just 20 set hooks. Caught in approximately 800 feet of water, this Big-eye Sixgill represents a new aspect of shark research in Bimini that the BBFS is hoping to explore

Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari)

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Identification: Diamond shaped disc; flattened snout; dorsal surface covered with white spots and/or rings Maximum size (width): 11 ½' (3.5 m) Diet: Mollusks, shrimp, other small invertebrates, fish. Notes from Bimini: Spotted eagle rays are extremely common around Bimini. They can be seen alone, or in large schools, both out on the reef and on the shallow flats on the east side of the islands. It is common to see them leap high out of the water, sometimes in an attempt to flee predators. The BBFS has researched the movements of spotted eagle rays, and their social behaviors in the past.

Southern Stingray (Dasyatis americana)

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Identification: Gray to brown dorsal surface; disc has sharp outer corners; long skin fold along underside of tail, and a low keel on top Maximum size (width): Female to 5' (1.5 m); male to ~2' (60 cm) Diet: Lobster & other large invertebrates, small fishes. Notes from Bimini: Southern stingrays are very common in the waters of Bimini, and have been the focus of past research done by the BBFS. They can be found almost anywhere around the island; in the shallow lagoons, out on the reef, and buried in the sand around the many wrecks.

Yellow Stingray (Urolophus jamaicensis)

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Identification: Small, circular disc; well developed caudal fin; yellow and dark spots on dorsal surface Maximum size (width): ~14" (35cm)) Diet: Shrimp and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Notes from Bimini: Yellow stingrays are also abundant around Bimini. People snorkeling along South Bimini's western shore can find several Yellow Stingrays hidden amongst the reef. They are also commonly seen right off the dock at the Sharklab.

Manta Ray (Manta birostris)

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Identification: A large, diamond shaped disc; terminal mouth, flanked by large cephalic fins; tail shorter than body. Maximum size (width): 22 ft. (6.7 m) Diet: Plankton and small schooling fishes. Notes from Bimini: While commonly thought of as strictly a pelagic species, Manta Rays also occur in inshore waters, and have often times been seen in the shallow waters along North Bimini's western shore. Mantas have been seen swimming alone, in pairs, and even with groups of spotted- eagle rays. One manta (~11 ½ ' (3.5 m) width) photographed in Bimini bore the wounds of a large shark bite that had completely removed its tail, and a large portion of its disc.

Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata)

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Identification: Long, flat, blade-like rostrum; 24-32 pairs of teeth along rostrum edges; caudal fin has no lower lobe. Maximum size: 20' (6 m) Diet: Small fishes and invertebrates. Notes from Bimini: Though not common, this endangered species has been seen and photographed many times around Bimini. The largest smalltooth sawfish photographed by the BBFS, in September of 2002, was nearly 14' in length. Thus far in 2004, the BBFS has tagged 2 smalltooth sawfish, one of which has been seen again several times in Bimini's North Sound lagoon.