Necklace carpetshark
| Necklace carpetshark | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Orectolobiformes |
| Family: | Parascylliidae |
| Genus: | Parascyllium |
| Species: | P. variolatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Parascyllium variolatum (A. H. A. Duméril, 1853) | |
 | |
| Range of necklace carpetshark (in blue) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Hemiscyllium variolatum Duméril, 1853 | |
The necklace carpetshark (Parascyllium variolatum), also known as the varied carpetshark, is a carpetshark of the family Parascylliidae endemic to the waters off Australia's southern coast between latitudes 37°S and 41°S. It is found near the ocean floor over sand, rock, coral reefs, and kelp and seagrass beds at depths down to 180 m (590 ft).[2] It is almost exclusively seen at night and spends the day hidden in caves or camouflaged on the ocean floor.[3]
With a slender, elongated body and a maximum length of only 0.91 m (3.0 ft) TL, it is harmless to humans. The tail is long, but difficult to tell apart from the rest of the shark. Its body is grey to brown in color with a broad black collar, from which it gets its name, and white spots along its body.[2] It has small spiracles and nostrils with short barbels, likely used for sensory purposes. It is often mistaken for a species of catshark, despite being more closely related to wobbegongs and nurse sharks.[3]
It is a nocturnal predator and feeds mostly on shellfish.[4] Reproduction is oviparous with females laying eggs with curled tendrils that anchor them to the ocean floor.[3] The embryos feed on yolk.[2]
References
- ↑ Heupel, M. R. (2016). "Parascyllium variolatum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2017). "Parascyllium variolatum" in FishBase. January 2017 version.
- 1 2 3 Tricas, Timothy C.; Deacon, Kevin; Last, Peter; McCosker, John E.; Walker, Terence I. (1997). Taylor, Leighton, ed. The Nature Company Guides: Sharks & Rays. Sydney: Time-Life Books. p. 138. ISBN 0-7835-4940-7.
- ↑ Bray, Dianna J. "Parascyllium variolatum". Fishes of Australia.
- Fowler, Leonard Compagno, Marc Dando, Sarah (2005). Sharks of the world. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-12072-2.
External links
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Media related to Parascyllium variolatum at Wikimedia Commons -
Data related to Parascyllium variolatum at Wikispecies