Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is found in the Atlantic Ocean along the coast of North America from the Carolinas(sporadic) south to Brazil. This shark is also found along the western coast of Africa. This shark is also found in the Pacific Ocean from Mexico south to Peru. This is a shallow water species. The record size for this species is over fourteen feet, but most individuals are less than nine feet in length. The two dorsal fins, which are about equal size, help identify this brown species.

The forms found in the Atlantic near Africa and in the Pacific from Baja California to Ecuador are sometimes considered separate species. Although divers like to harass this species, it can and will bite. This shark does well in large marine aquariums.

Ginglymostoma genus, Nurse shark, contains a single species.

Nurse Sharks (Family Ginglymostomatidae) are found worldwide in warmer waters. The following are typical of the members of this family:
Nurse Shark - Ginglysmostoma cirratum - Atlantic Ocean
Tawny Nurse - Nebrius ferrugineus - Indian Ocean

Nurse Sharks and Carpet Sharks (Order Orectolobiformes) contains the carpetsharks, the wobbegongs, and the nurse sharks. There are about 33 species in this order.

Sharks and rays (Elasmobranchi), cartilaginous fishes, deserve to be a class separate from the normal fish, in that they do not have a bone skeleton but rather a cartilage skeleton.

Fertilization is internal in this class which also separates them from the bony fish class. Although there are a few fresh water species, the majority of the species in this class are found in salt water. As of 2005, there were about 500 known species of sharks and about 600 known species of rays.

David Ebert, author of a recent book on sharks, rays, and chimaeras of California, counts a total of 988 described species in the class with about 150 additional species awaiting scientific description. He breaks down the described species to 410 species of sharks, 543 species of rays, and 35 species of chimaeras.

Many species of sharks face an uncertain future, as the Chinese purchase shark fins to make shark fin soup. It was estimated that 100 milllion sharks are killed each year for this purpose. However, recent estimates indicate the Chinese are reducing their consumption of this exotic soup.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

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