Galapagos bullhead shark

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Galapagos bullhead shark
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Heterodontiformes
Family: Heterodontidae
Genus: Heterodontus
Species: H. quoyi
Binomial name
Heterodontus quoyi
(Fréminville, 1840)
Range of Galapagos bullhead shark (in blue)
Range of Galapagos bullhead shark (in blue)

The Galapagos bullhead shark, Heterodontus quoyi, is a bullhead shark of the family Heterodontidae, found in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean between latitudes 0° S to 10° S, at depths of between 3 and 40 m. Its length is up to 1.07 m.

The Galapagos bullhead shark inhabits sandy flats and rocky, boulder strewn reef areas, with sand between outcroppings in inshore continental and insular waters. It rests motionless on the bottom, and is docile, non-aggressive and a poor swimmer. It feeds on shellfish, crabs, and small invertebrates.

Reproduction is oviparous and the size at birth (for a newly hatched male) is 17 cm.

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