Tasselled wobbegong

Eucrossorhinus dasypogon · The tasselled wobbegong is a carpet shark that lives on shallow coral reefs off northern Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands.

Also called Ogilbys Wobbegong, Bearded wobbegong.

Tasselled wobbegong
Photo: Rickard Zerpe, CC BY 2.0
Tasselled wobbegong
Photo: Rickard Zerpe, CC BY 2.0
Tasselled wobbegong
Photo: Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassChondrichthyes
OrderOrectolobiformes
FamilyOrectolobidae
GenusEucrossorhinus
SpeciesEucrossorhinus dasypogon

Where it lives

Shallow coral reefs of northern Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands.

Fun facts

  • It lures prey by slowly waving its tail, which looks like a tiny fish complete with a fake eyespot at the base.
  • Small fish and crustaceans sometimes settle right on the resting shark's head, luring in bigger fish for it to ambush.
  • Its branching skin flaps and blotchy coloring camouflage it so well against the reef that it can hide in plain sight.
  • Newborn pups are tiny, measuring only about 20 cm long when born.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).