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The tasselled wobbegong, Orectolobus dasypogon, is a carpet shark
Carpet shark

The order Orectolobiformes, also collectively known as the carpet sharks because many members have carpet-like patterned markings, includes a number of familiar types of sharks, such as the nurse sharks and whale shark, as well as some unusual species, such as the blind shark....
 in the family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 Orectolobidae, found in the western Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 around eastern Indonesia
Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia , is a transcontinental country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Comprising Islands of Indonesia, it is the world's largest Archipelago state....
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands ....
, and northern Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, between latitudes 1° N
1st parallel north

The 1st parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 1 degree true north of the Earth equator.The parallel defines part of the border between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon....
 and 23° S
23rd parallel south

The 23rd parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 23 degree south of the Earth equator.Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 23? south passes through:...
. It reaches a length of 1.25 m.

The tasselled wobbegong's body has a reticular pattern of narrow dark lines, and a caudal fin with its upper lobe hardly elevated above the body axis and a strong terminal lobe and subterminal notch but no ventral lobe.






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The tasselled wobbegong, Orectolobus dasypogon, is a carpet shark
Carpet shark

The order Orectolobiformes, also collectively known as the carpet sharks because many members have carpet-like patterned markings, includes a number of familiar types of sharks, such as the nurse sharks and whale shark, as well as some unusual species, such as the blind shark....
 in the family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 Orectolobidae, found in the western Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 around eastern Indonesia
Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia , is a transcontinental country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Comprising Islands of Indonesia, it is the world's largest Archipelago state....
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands ....
, and northern Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, between latitudes 1° N
1st parallel north

The 1st parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 1 degree true north of the Earth equator.The parallel defines part of the border between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon....
 and 23° S
23rd parallel south

The 23rd parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 23 degree south of the Earth equator.Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 23? south passes through:...
. It reaches a length of 1.25 m.

The tasselled wobbegong's body has a reticular pattern of narrow dark lines, and a caudal fin with its upper lobe hardly elevated above the body axis and a strong terminal lobe and subterminal notch but no ventral lobe. It is a little-known shark found on the continental shelf
Continental shelf

The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain, and was part of the continent during the glacial periods, but is undersea during Ice age such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas and Bay....
 and offshore reefs, probably feeding on bottom fishes and invertebrates. It might bite in self-defense or when mistaking a human foot for its usual prey. Its tough skin is sometimes used for leather. The maximum length of 3.66 m reported for this species is uncertain.

Reproduction is ovoviviparous.

Captivity

Despite growing nearly 6 feet in length it is possible to keep a tasseled wobbegong in a 360 gallon home aquarium for its whole life.

See also

  • List of sharks
    List of sharks

    Shark classificationSharks belong to the superorder Selachimorpha in the subclass Elasmobranchii in the class Chondrichthyes. It is a fish. The Elasmobranchii also include batoidea and skate s; the Chondrichthyes also include Chimaeras....