 The tawny nurse shark is widely distributed in the Indo @-@ Pacific region . In the Indian Ocean , it is found from KwaZulu @-@ Natal , South Africa northward to the Red Sea , Persian Gulf and India , including Madagascar , Mauritius , the Chagos Archipelago , the Seychelles , and the Maldives . In the western Pacific , it occurs from southern Japan and the coast of China to the Philippines , Southeast Asia , and Indonesia , to as far south as the northern coast of Australia . In the central Pacific , it has been reported from off New Caledonia , Samoa , Palau , the Marshall Islands , and Tahiti . Fossil teeth belonging to this species have been found in the Pirabas Formation of northern Brazil , dating back to the Lower Miocene ( 23 – 16 Ma ) . The presence of these fossils indicates that the range of the tawny nurse shark once extended to the tropical Atlantic Ocean , prior to the formation of the Isthmus of Panama . 
 The tawny nurse shark is widely distributed in the Indo @-@ Pacific region . In the Indian Ocean , it is found from KwaZulu @-@ Natal , South Africa northward to the Red Sea , Persian Gulf and India , including Madagascar , Mauritius , the Chagos Archipelago , the Seychelles , and the Maldives . In the western Pacific , it <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>occurs</mark></a> from southern Japan and the coast of China to the Philippines , Southeast Asia , and Indonesia , to as far south as the northern coast of Australia . In the central Pacific , it <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>has</mark></a> been reported from off New Caledonia , Samoa , Palau , the Marshall Islands , and Tahiti . Fossil teeth belonging to this species <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>have</mark></a> been found in the Pirabas Formation of northern Brazil , dating back to the Lower Miocene ( 23 – 16 Ma ) . The presence of these fossils <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>indicates</mark></a> that the range of the tawny nurse shark once extended to the tropical Atlantic Ocean , prior to the formation of the Isthmus of Panama . 
The tawny nurse shark is widely distributed in the Indo @-@ Pacific region . In da Indian Ocean , it is found from KwaZulu @-@ Natal , South Africa northward to tdaRed Sea , Persian Gulf and India , including Madagascar , Mauritius , the Chagos Archipelago , the Seychelles , and the Maldives . In thdaestern Pacific , it occur from southern Japan and thedaast of China to the dalippines , Southeast Asia , and Indonesia , to as far south as the northern coast of Australia . In the central Pacific , it done been reported from offf New Caledonia , Samoa , Palau , the Mdahall Islands , and Tahiti . Fossil teef belonging to dis species done been found in the Pirabas Formation of northern Brazil , dating back to the Loda Miocene ( 23 – 16 Ma ) . The predace of dem fossils indicate dat the range of the tawndaurse shark once extended to the tropida Atlantic Ocean , prior to the formation of the Isthmus of Panama .