LAUSR

Coevolution with predators leads to the use of low-risk habitats by many prey species, which promotes survival during early developmental phases. These nurseries are valued by conservation and management agencies because of their contributions to adult populations. However, the physical and geographic characteristics, like shallow depths and isolation from other marine habitats, that restrict access to predators and thereby reduce risk to juvenile animals can also limit scientific research. Consequently, many nursery habitats are still unidentified and understudied. Here, we used gillnet monitoring from 1982-2018 to delineate blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) nurseries in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, and elucidate their physical, environmental, and biological characteristics. Nursery habitats within estuaries (<2% of spatial area) were proximate to the Gulf of Mexico, and exhibited significantly lower variability in salinity than non-nurseries. However, relative abundances of predators and prey were not significant delineators of nursery habitats. As such, food and risk may not influence juvenile blacktip habitat use as expected. Alternatively, reduced osmoregulatory stress attributed to predictable environments likely provides advantageous conditions for blacktips to develop foraging and anti-predator tactics, which is vital prior to the winter migration of juvenile sharks into the Gulf of Mexico. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.