Bamboo shark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bamboo sharks are of the order Orectolobiformes, which contains seven families. The bamboo shark family itself contains several different species, including the brownbanded bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium punctatum), the grey bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium griseum) and the whitespotted bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum). They are bottom dwelling fish, as are most Orectolobiformes.
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[edit] Distribution and habitat
They are distributed in many areas, including Indonesia, India, Arabia, China, Japan, Philippines, and various other locations. They are also common in coral reefs.
[edit] Anatomy and appearance
As its name suggests, the brownbanded bamboo shark has brown bands along its body. The bands fade with age, much like the tiger shark. The whitespotted bamboo shark is a greyish brown, with small white spots dotted all over its body. It also has a few large dark blotches on its back. And, like all Bamboo sharks, right above its mouth it has two barbels.
[edit] Diet
The brownbanded bamboo shark is nocturnal, meaning it is active at night, and it hides in the reef, until night, when it comes out to feed. It eats small fish, crustaceans, and various other small sea animals. Bamboo sharks are small, slugish bottom-feeders, and will not go after any large fish, unlike the great white shark. They feed on invertabrates mostly. The whitespotted bamboo shark will eat crabs, which it smashes before eating. They have small, sharp teeth.
[edit] Reproduction
Bamboo sharks are oviparous, which means that they lay eggs. A whitespotted bamboo shark egg resembles a dogfish's egg, and the embryo can be seen inside. Bamboo sharks, and often whitespotted bamboo sharks, are used a lot for breeding, because they will usually lay eggs in captivity.
[edit] Relationship to humans
All bamboo sharks are harmless, and pose no threat to humans. While humans, on the other hand, do pose a threat to them. Most encounters between a bamboo shark and a human would probably end up worse for the shark.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Leonard J. V. Compagno, FAO Species Catalogue, Vol. 4, Parts 1 and 2, Sharks of the World, 1984, Rome: FAO
