Wobbegong

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iWobbegongs
Spotted wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus, showing the camouflage pattern and skin flaps typical of wobbegongs.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes Subclass: Elasmobranchii Order: Orectolobiformes Family: Orectolobidae Gill, 1896
Genera
See text for genera and species.

Wobbegong is the common name given to the eight species of carpet sharks in the family Orectolobidae. They are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean and eastern Indian Ocean, chiefly around Australia and Indonesia, although one species occurs as far north as Japan (the Japanese wobbegong, Orectolobus japonicus).

Wobbegongs are bottom-dwelling sharks which spend much of their time resting on the sea floor, often among rocks or under ledges. The largest species, the spotted wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus, grows up to 3.2 m long. Wobbegongs are well camouflaged with a symmetrical pattern of bold markings which resembles carpet. Because of this striking pattern, wobbegongs and their close relatives are often referred to as carpet sharks. The camouflage is improved by the presence of small vegetation-like flaps of skin around the wobbegong's mouth. Wobbegongs make use of their relative invisibility to hide among rocks and ambush smaller fish which swim too close (animals which feed in this way are called ambush predators).

Wobbegongs are generally not dangerous unless they are provoked. They have bitten people who accidentally step on them in shallow water; they may also bite scuba divers or snorkellers who poke or handle them, or who block their escape route. Wobbegongs are very flexible and can easily bite a hand that is holding on to their tail. They have many small but sharp teeth and their bite can be severe, even through a wetsuit; having once bitten, they have been known to hang on and be very difficult to remove [1]. To avoid being bitten, do not harass or encircle a wobbegong when diving, and pay close attention near the bottom to avoid accidental contact with a wobbegong you have not seen.

Although wobbegongs do not eat humans, humans frequently eat wobbegongs; the flesh of a wobbegong or other shark is called flake and it is often used in fish and chips in Australia. Wobbegong skin is also used to make leather.

The word wobbegong is believed to come from an Australian Aboriginal language.

[edit] Genera and species

• Orectolobus
  • Orectolobus halei Whitley, 1940.^[1]
  • Orectolobus hutchinsi Last, Chidlow & Compagno, 2006.^[2]
  • Tasselled wobbegong, Orectolobus dasypogon (Bleeker, 1867) [2]
  • Japanese wobbegong, Orectolobus japonicus Regan, 1906 [3]
  • Spotted wobbegong , Orectolobus maculatus (Bonnaterre, 1788) [4]
  • Ornate wobbegong, Orectolobus ornatus (De Vis, 1883) [5]
  • Northern wobbegong, Orectolobus wardi Whitley, 1939 [6]
  • Western wobbegong, Orectolobus sp. A
• Sutorectus
  • Cobbler wobbegong, Sutorectus tentaculatus (Peters, 1864) [7]

[edit] See also

• List of sharks

[edit] References

• Fishbase page on wobbegongs
• Australian Museum page on the spotted wobbegong
• Wobbegong shark pictures

1. ^ Huveneers (2006). "Redescription of two species of wobbegongs (Chondrichthyes: Orectolobidae) with elevation of Orectolobus halei Whitley 1940 to species level". Zootaxa 1284: 29-51.
2. ^ Last, Chidlow & Compagno (2006). "A new wobbegong shark, Orectolobus hutchinsi n. sp. (Orectolobiformes: Orectolobidae) from southwestern Australia". Zootaxa 1239: 35-48.