Speckled swellshark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Speckled swellshark |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cephaloscyllium
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| Species: |
speccum
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The speckled swellshark (Cephaloscyllium speccum) is a type of catshark. It is a lesser-known species of shark. This shark lives only in the waters off northwestern Australia.
You can find it deep in the ocean, on the edge of the continental shelf. It lives in depths from about 150 to 455 meters (492 to 1,493 feet). This shark can grow up to 69 centimeters (27 inches) long. It has a strong body and a short, wide, flat head.
Its name, "speckled," comes from its look. It has many dark spots and white-spotted dark patches. These patterns are on a light gray body. Young speckled swellsharks are yellow with dark spots and lines. They also have a special mark that looks like an eyespot behind each eye. Like other swellsharks, this shark can puff itself up. It does this to protect itself from danger.
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Discovering the Speckled Swellshark
Scientists first noticed this shark in 1994. Researchers Peter Last and John Stevens from CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) gave it a temporary name. They called it Cephaloscyllium "sp. E."
Later, they found that "sp. E" was actually two different species. One was the flagtail swellshark. The other was the speckled swellshark. Peter Last, Bernard Séret, and William White officially described the speckled swellshark in 2008. Its scientific name, speccum, comes from the Latin word specca. This word means "speckled."
The first official example of this shark was a male. It was 68 centimeters (27 inches) long. Scientists found it near Rowley Shoals off Western Australia.
Where Speckled Swellsharks Live
The speckled swellshark lives only off the coast of Western Australia. You can find it from Rowley Shoals up to Ashmore Reef.
It prefers to live on the outer part of the continental shelf. It also lives on the upper part of the continental slope. This is a deep-water habitat. It lives in depths ranging from 150 to 455 meters (492 to 1,493 feet).
What Does a Speckled Swellshark Look Like?
The speckled swellshark can grow up to 69 centimeters (27 inches) long. Its body is quite strong and solid. Its head is short, wide, and very flat. The snout, which is its nose area, is blunt. It has skin flaps near its nostrils that spread out to the sides.
Its eyes are like slits and are placed high on its head. Behind its eyes, it has tiny holes called spiracles. The mouth is long and narrow. It does not have grooves at the corners of its mouth.
The shark's body is covered in small, overlapping scales. These scales are shaped like arrowheads. They have a ridge in the middle. Adult sharks are light gray on top. They have many small dark spots. They also have larger dark patches and blotches. These larger marks contain small white spots. There is a white-spotted patch behind and below each eye. The underside of the shark is plain off-white. Sometimes it has darker or lighter blotches.
Young speckled swellsharks are light yellow. They have broken brown lines that form patterns like rosettes and hollow saddles. They also have two eyespot-like marks between their spiracles.
Life and Habits of the Speckled Swellshark
Like other swellsharks, this species has a special defense. When it feels threatened, it can suck in water or air. It fills its stomach to make itself bigger. This makes it harder for predators to eat.
Male speckled swellsharks become ready to reproduce when they are about 64 centimeters (25 inches) long. Scientists have not found many of these sharks. Because of this, not much is known about their daily lives or how they grow.
Speckled Swellsharks and People
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the speckled swellshark as "Data Deficient". This means there is not enough information about this shark. Scientists need more data to know if it is endangered or not. There is not much fishing happening where these sharks live. This means they are probably not often caught by accident.
See also
In Spanish: Cephaloscyllium speccum para niños
