GINGLYMOSTOMATIDAE Nebrius ferrugineus (photo by Mark Strickland) Nebrius ferrugineus (photo by Mark Strickland) Nebrius ferrugineus (Lesson, 1831) Tawny Nurse Shark Body elongated, moderately stout, without lateral ridges. Barbels moderately long; mouth closer to snout tip than eyes. Teeth in side of jaws compressed, forming imbricated series. Dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins apicurate; first dorsal fin much larger than second dorsal and anal fins; pectoral fins narrow and falcate. Color: light brown to dark grayish brown dorsally, paler below. Size: maximum length ca. 3.2 m. Distribution: Indo-Pacific, from South Africa to Tahiti, north to Japan. Remarks: inshore nocturnal bottom shark, occurring commonly on coral and rocky reefs, in lagoons and on sandy flats. Feeds on benthic invertebrates and reef fishes.