Draughtsboard shark
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| Draughtsboard shark | ||||||||||||||||
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| Cephaloscyllium isabellum (Bonnaterre, 1788) |
The draughtsboard swellshark, Cephaloscyllium isabellum, is a catshark of the family Scyliorhinidae found in the southwest Pacific Ocean endemic to New Zealand, at depths of between 18 and 220 m. It grows to about 1 m in length, and can expand its body by taking in air or water to make it appear larger to predators.
The draughtsboard swellshark is found in crevices and caves of rocky reefs during the day, but may move to adjacent sandy areas at night, and feeds on fishes and invertebrates. Adults segregate by sex. Reproduction is oviparous.
This shark has been reported to be able to bark like a large dog, something unusual among sharks who are mostly silent creatures. According to shark expert R. Aiden Martin: "if caught by net or hook and line and rapidly hauled to the surface, a Draughtsboard Shark may sometimes inflate with air instead of water. The cardiac sphincter renders the Draughtsboard Shark's stomach reasonably air-tight. But when the inflated shark must relieve that gastric pressure, the cardiac sphincter functions in a way that may be termed less-than-refined. When the sphincter relaxes, trapped air passes out the shark's stomach in an explosive rush, creating a hoarse 'bark' as it goes."[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- "Cephaloscyllium isabellum". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. may 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
