Tasselled wobbegong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tasselled wobbegong |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucrossorhinus
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| Species: |
dasypogon
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| Confirmed (dark blue) and suspected (light blue) range of the tasselled wobbegong | |
| Synonyms | |
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Crossorhinus dasypogon Bleeker, 1867 |
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The tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon) is a type of carpet shark. It belongs to the Orectolobidae family. This shark is the only member of its genus Eucrossorhinus.
You can find this shark in shallow coral reefs. It lives off northern Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. It can grow up to about 1.8 meters (6 feet) long. This shark has a wide, flat body and head. Its most special feature is a fringe of branching skin flaps around its head. These flaps even go onto its chin. This fringe, along with its spotted and patterned skin, helps it camouflage itself. It blends in perfectly with the reef.
During the day, the tasselled wobbegong usually rests alone. It hides inside caves or under ledges, often with its tail curled up. These sharks tend to stay in their local area. They even have favorite resting spots. While resting, they wait to ambush nearby fishes and invertebrates. They can also attract prey by waving their tail. The tail looks like a small fish, luring other animals closer. At night, it comes out and actively hunts for food. This shark gives birth to live young. Not much is known about its full life story.
Sometimes, tasselled wobbegongs have bitten humans. These attacks might happen if people accidentally disturb the shark. Or, the shark might mistake a hand or foot for prey. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists this species as Least Concern. This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
Contents
About the Tasselled Wobbegong
How It Got Its Name
A Dutch scientist named Pieter Bleeker first described the tasselled wobbegong in 1867. He based his description on two sharks found near Indonesia. He named it dasypogon. This name comes from ancient Greek words. Dasys means "hairy" and pogon means "beard."
Later, in 1908, Charles Tate Regan created a new group (genus) for this shark. He called it Eucrossorhinus. This name also comes from Greek words. Eu means "well," krossoi means "tassel," and rhinos means "nose." So, its full scientific name means "well-tasseled nose" or "hairy beard." Other common names for this shark are bearded wobbegong and Ogilby's wobbegong.
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| Family tree of the wobbegongs. |
Scientists study the shark's body features to understand its family tree. They also look at its DNA. One study in 2009 suggested that the tasselled wobbegong is one of the oldest types of wobbegongs. This means it branched off early in their evolution. This idea supports putting it in the same group as other wobbegongs. Scientists believe this shark became its own species about 6 to 11 million years ago. This was a time when coral reefs were forming in its habitat.
What It Looks Like
The tasselled wobbegong is a very wide and somewhat flat shark. Its head is wider than it is long. It has a special fringe of branching skin flaps. These flaps run almost all the way from its snout to its pectoral fins. It even has a "beard" on its chin.
Its nostrils have long, branching barbels (whisker-like feelers). There are also grooves around its nostrils that connect to its mouth. It has small bumps above its eyes. Behind its eyes are larger spiracles. These are small holes that help it breathe.
The shark's mouth is large and sits almost at the very front of its head. It has 23 to 26 rows of teeth on its upper jaw. It has 19 rows on its lower jaw. Each tooth has a single, sharp point. The teeth in the middle of its jaws are extra long and look like fangs. It has five short pairs of gill slits.
Its pectoral and pelvic fins are large and round. The dorsal fins (on its back) are fairly tall. The first dorsal fin is a bit bigger than the second. The body gets much thinner behind the pelvic fins. The anal fin is small. The caudal fin (tail fin) is short. It does not have a lower lobe.
This shark has a unique color pattern. It looks like a mosaic. It has many small, dark spots and lines. These are on a gray or yellow-brown background. Sometimes, it also has darker bands. This pattern covers the top of its body and parts of its fins. Its belly is white. The tasselled wobbegong can grow up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) long. Some older reports of much larger sharks are likely incorrect.
Where It Lives
The tasselled wobbegong lives on the continental shelf of northern Australia. Its range goes from Ningaloo Reef in the west to Bundaberg in the east. It also lives around New Guinea, Waigeo, and the Aru Islands. There are some unconfirmed reports from Malaysia.
This shark is a common bottom-dweller. It lives only in coral reefs. You can find it in both shallow waters near the shore and deeper waters. It lives from the intertidal zone (where the tide goes in and out) down to about 50 meters (160 feet) deep. It is most often seen in reef channels, on reef faces, or on top of coral heads.
How It Hunts
The tasselled wobbegong is very specialized for its hunting style. Its fancy colors and skin fringe give it amazing camouflage. It is probably a slower swimmer than other sharks in its family. It lives alone. During the day, it mostly lies still. It hides inside caves or under ledges, with its tail curled up. Each shark has a small home range. It uses the same favorite resting spots over and over. This species becomes more active at night. It swims onto the reef to hunt.
The tasselled wobbegong eats bony and cartilaginous fishes. It also eats crustaceans like crabs and shrimp. And it eats cephalopods like squid. Its large mouth lets it swallow big prey. One shark, about 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) long, was seen eating a 1.0 meter (3.3 feet) long brownbanded bamboo shark.
During the day, this shark is an ambush predator. This means it waits and then suddenly attacks. It preys on schooling fish that hide in the same caves. Tiny fish and crustaceans have even been seen resting on the wobbegong's head. This attracts bigger fish, which the wobbegong then attacks.
Observations in aquariums show that this shark also lures prey. When it senses food nearby, it slowly waves its tail back and forth. Its tail fin looks like a small fish. It even has a dark eyespot near its base. The shark usually rests with its head raised. This puts it in perfect striking distance for any prey drawn in by its tail.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The tasselled wobbegong is thought to be aplacental viviparous. This means it gives birth to live young. The baby sharks grow inside the mother. They get their food from a yolk sac, not from a placenta. There is one report of mating being seen inside a cave at night. Newborn sharks are about 20 centimeters (8 inches) long. Scientists are not sure when they become adults. However, one male shark was found to be an adult at 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) long.
Interacting with Humans
The tasselled wobbegong has a reputation for biting people. There are several reports of attacks that seemed to happen without being provoked. While some old stories might be exaggerated, this shark can cause serious wounds.
However, the tasselled wobbegong is also popular for ecotourism. Many divers approach it without any problems. This shark has great camouflage and its eyesight might not be the best. So, people should be careful. They should avoid accidentally bothering it. They should also make sure the shark doesn't mistake a hand or foot for food. This species does well in captivity. It is sometimes kept in home aquariums.
The tasselled wobbegong does not have much economic value. Its attractive skin is sometimes used to make leather. In Australian waters, it is not fished much. It faces very few threats there. But in other parts of its range, it might be affected by fishing. It can also be harmed by habitat degradation. This includes pollution, blast fishing, and removing coral. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed this species as Least Concern. This means it is not currently at high risk.
