All Topics  
Wobbegong

 
Wobbegong

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Wobbegong
 
 
  Topics Wobbegong Topic Home

Wobbegong is the common name given to the eight species of 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....
s in the family Orectolobidae. They are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters of 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....
 and eastern Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering about 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by Asia ; on the west by Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern Ocean ....
, chiefly around 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....
 and 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....
, although one species (the Japanese wobbegong
Japanese wobbegong

The Japanese wobbegong, Orectolobus japonicus, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the tropical western Pacific Ocean from Japan and Korea to Viet Nam and the Philippines, between latitudes 43rd parallel north to 6th parallel north....
, Orectolobus japonicus) occurs as far north as Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
. The word wobbegong is believed to come from an Australian Aboriginal language
Australian Aboriginal languages

The Indigenous Australians languages comprise several Language families and languages and language isolates native to Australia and a few nearby islands, but by convention excluding Tasmania....
, meaning "shaggy beard", referring to the growths around the mouth of the shark of the western Pacific.

Description
Wobbegongs are bottom-dwelling sharks and spend much of their time resting on the sea floor.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Wobbegong'
Start a new discussion about 'Wobbegong'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Wobbegong is the common name given to the eight species of 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....
s in the family Orectolobidae. They are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters of 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....
 and eastern Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering about 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by Asia ; on the west by Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern Ocean ....
, chiefly around 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....
 and 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....
, although one species (the Japanese wobbegong
Japanese wobbegong

The Japanese wobbegong, Orectolobus japonicus, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the tropical western Pacific Ocean from Japan and Korea to Viet Nam and the Philippines, between latitudes 43rd parallel north to 6th parallel north....
, Orectolobus japonicus) occurs as far north as Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
. The word wobbegong is believed to come from an Australian Aboriginal language
Australian Aboriginal languages

The Indigenous Australians languages comprise several Language families and languages and language isolates native to Australia and a few nearby islands, but by convention excluding Tasmania....
, meaning "shaggy beard", referring to the growths around the mouth of the shark of the western Pacific.

Description


Wobbegongs are bottom-dwelling sharks and spend much of their time resting on the sea floor. The largest species, the spotted wobbegong
Spotted wobbegong

The spotted wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the eastern Indian Ocean from Western Australia to southern Queensland, between latitudes 20th parallel south to 40th parallel south....
, Orectolobus maculatus, grows up to long.

Wobbegongs are well camouflage
Camouflage

Camouflage is a method of cryptic or concealing coloration that allows an otherwise visible organism or object to remain invisibility through deception....
d with a symmetrical
Symmetry

Symmetry generally conveys two primary meanings. The first is an imprecise sense of harmonious or aesthetically-pleasing proportionality and balance; such that it reflects beauty or perfection....
 pattern of bold markings which resembles a carpet. Because of this striking pattern, wobbegongs and their close relatives are often referred to as 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....
s. The camouflage is improved by the presence of small vegetation-like flaps of skin around the wobbegong's mouth. Wobbegongs make use of their relative invisibility to hide among rocks and catch smaller fish which swim too close, typical of ambush predators
Ambush predator

Ambush predators or sit-and-wait predators are carnivore that capture prey by stealth or cunning, not by speed or necessarily by strength....
.

Wobbegongs are not dangerous unless they are provoked. They have bitten people who accidentally step on them in shallow water; they may also bite scuba
Scuba diving

SCUBA diving is Underwater diving, or taking part in another activity, while using a scuba set. By carrying a source of breathing gas , the scuba diver is able to stay underwater longer than with the simple breath-holding techniques used in snorkeling and free-diving, and is not hindered by air lines to a remote air source....
 divers or snorkellers who poke or touch them, or who block their escape route. Wobbegongs are very flexible and can easily bite a hand that is holding on to their tail.

They have many small but sharp teeth and their bite can be severe, even through a wetsuit; having once bitten, they have been known to hang on and can be very difficult to remove. To avoid being bitten, divers should avoid accidental contact.

Interaction with humans


Although wobbegongs do not eat humans, humans frequently eat wobbegongs; the flesh of a wobbegong or other shark is called flake
Flake (fish)

Flake is a term used in Australia to indicate the flesh of any of several species of small shark, particularly Gummy shark. The term probably arose in the late 1920s when the large-scale commercial shark fishery off the coast of Victoria, Australia was established....
 and it is often used in fish and chips
Fish and chips

Fish and chips is a popular take-away food which originated in the United Kingdom. It consists of deep-fried fish in Batter or breadcrumbs with French fried potatoes potatoes....
 in Australia.

Wobbegong skin is also used to make leather
Leather

Leather is a material created through the tanning of rawhides and skins of animals, primarily cattlehide. The tanning process converts the putrescible skin into a durable, long-lasting and versatile natural material for various uses....
.

Captivity


Although most wobbegong species are unsuitable for home aquaria due to their large adult size (approaching 7 feet in length), this has not stopped some of these larger species from being commonly sold in the aquarium trade. However some aquarists have had success in keeping smaller species, such as the tasselled wobbegong
Tasselled wobbegong

The tasselled wobbegong, Orectolobus dasypogon, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the western Pacific Ocean around eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northern Australia, between latitudes 1st parallel north and 23rd parallel south....
 and Ward's wobbegong. Small wobbegong species are "ideal" sharks for home aquarists to keep
Sharks in captivity

Public aquariaUntil recently only a few benthic species of shark, such as Horn shark, Triakis semifasciata and catsharks had survived in aquarium conditions for up to a year or more....
 because they are the apropriate size and are sufficiently lethargic in lifestyle, enabling them to be accommodated within the limited space of home aquaria. Some aquarists, by contrast, see the lack of activity to be a drawback to keeping wobbegongs and prefer more active sharks. Wobbegongs are largely nocturnal and will consume tankmates, even rather large ones. Due to their low metabolisms, wobbegong species are not fed as often as other sharks and most do well on two feedings weekly. Underfed wobbegongs can be recognized by visually atrophied dorsal musculature.

Genera and species

There are eleven species of wobbegong, in three genera:

Family Orectolobidae
  • Genus Eucrossorhinus
    Tasselled wobbegong

    The tasselled wobbegong, Orectolobus dasypogon, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the western Pacific Ocean around eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northern Australia, between latitudes 1st parallel north and 23rd parallel south....
    • Tasselled wobbegong
      Tasselled wobbegong

      The tasselled wobbegong, Orectolobus dasypogon, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the western Pacific Ocean around eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northern Australia, between latitudes 1st parallel north and 23rd parallel south....
      , Eucrossorhinus dasypogon (Bleeker, 1867)
  • Genus Orectolobus
    Orectolobus

    Orectolobus is a genus of carpet sharks in the family Orectolobidae. They are commonly known as wobbegongs, although this name also applies to the related genus Sutorectus....
    • Orectolobus floridus
    • Orectolobus halei
      Orectolobus halei

      Orectolobus halei, the Gulf wobbegong, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in southern Australia between Southport, Queensland and Norwegian Bay, Western Australia....
       Whitley, 1940.
    • Western Wobbegong Orectolobus hutchinsi
      Orectolobus hutchinsi

      Orectolobus hutchinsi, is a recently discovered carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found off Western Australia from Coral Bay, Western Australia, near North West Cape, south to Groper Bluff, west of Bremer Bay, at depths of between 9 and 105 m....
       Last, Chidlow & Compagno, 2006.
    • Japanese wobbegong
      Japanese wobbegong

      The Japanese wobbegong, Orectolobus japonicus, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the tropical western Pacific Ocean from Japan and Korea to Viet Nam and the Philippines, between latitudes 43rd parallel north to 6th parallel north....
      , Orectolobus japonicus Regan, 1906
    • Spotted wobbegong
      Spotted wobbegong

      The spotted wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the eastern Indian Ocean from Western Australia to southern Queensland, between latitudes 20th parallel south to 40th parallel south....
      , Orectolobus maculatus (Bonnaterre, 1788)
    • Ornate wobbegong
      Ornate wobbegong

      The ornate wobbegong, Orectolobus ornatus, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the western Pacific Ocean around eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia, between latitudes 1st parallel north to 40th parallel south....
      , Orectolobus ornatus (De Vis, 1883)
    • Orectolobus parvimaculatus
    • Orectolobus reticulatus
    • Northern wobbegong
      Northern wobbegong

      The northern wobbegong, Orectolobus wardi, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, found in the western Pacific Ocean around Australia, between latitudes 9th parallel south to 26th parallel south....
      , Orectolobus wardi Whitley, 1939
  • Genus Sutorectus
    • Cobbler wobbegong
      Cobbler wobbegong

      The cobbler wobbegong, Sutorectus tentaculatus, is a carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, the only member of the genus Sutorectus....
      , Sutorectus tentaculatus (Peters, 1864)


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....