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Japanese wobbegong
No image of Japanese wobbegong found in the Shark Database
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| Range Map |
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| Systematics |
Phylum: Vertebates (Chordata)
Class: Carlilagenous Fishes (Chondrichthyes)
Order: Carpetsharks (Orectolobiformes)
Family: Wobbegongs (Orectolobidae)
Genus: Orectolobus (Orectolobus)
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| Name |
| Scientific: | Orectolobus japonicus |
| German: | Japanischer Teppichhai |
| English: | Japanese wobbegong |
| French: | Requin-tapis moustache |
| Spanish: | Tapicero japones |
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| Appearance |
Flattened body, with branched, dermal lobes on sides of head. Well developed spiracles, right behind the eyes. First dorsal fin moderately high, its origin over the midbase of the pelvic fins. Second dorsal fin"s origin right behind the free rear end of the first dorsal fin. Pectorals flat and broad with rounded apices.
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| Coloration |
Dark back, with conspicuous color pattern. Variegated with broad dark, dorsal saddles and light spots, mixed with light areas and dark broad lines.
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| Distribution |
Western North Pacific: Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines.
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| Biology |
Little known species. Lives preferably in shore waters, at the bottom. The more inactive life style and the fanglike teeth (two in upper jaw, three in lower one) points toward an ambush predator.
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| Feeding |
Fishes, and probably invertebrates.
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| Size |
Maximum size not known, but over 100 cm.
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| Reproduction |
Ovoviviparous (aplacental viviparous). Litter size up to 20 pups.
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| Similar Species |
Similar to Spotted Wobbegong , which however has light O-shaped markings obscuring darker saddles and Ornate wobbegong ,which however has the dark saddles on its back marks with dark, light centred spots, compared to broad reticulated dark lines of the described species.
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| Endangerment |
Status in the IUCN
Red List:
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No Entry found in Red List.
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| Danger to Humans |
Harmless.
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