Japanese wobbegong
📖 Overview
A little-known bottom shark found inshore ; usually in sand or sandy mud bottoms ; also on rocky and coral reefs . Nocturnal in habits . Feeds on fish and presumably bottom invertebrates , including lizardfishes, cutlassfish, horse mackerel and other jacks, goatfishes, groupers, tilefishes, sea robins, whiting, parrotfishes, sea bream, croakers, also skates, shark egg cases, cephalopods, and shrimp . Ovoviviparous , with up to 20 young in a litter . Wobbegongs should be regarded as potentially dangerous because of its formidable dentition . Used for human consumption . Kept in aquaria in Japan and the United States .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Five to six dermal flaps below and in front of eyes; back with light areas between dark saddles marked with broad reticulated dark lines . Caudal fin with its upper lobe hardly elevated above the body axis, with a strong terminal lobe and subterminal notch but no ventral lobe .: elongated.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Japanese wobbegong is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, embryos feed solely on yolk . With up to 20 young in a litter .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; demersal; depth range 0 - 200 m . Tropical; 43°N - 6°N, 103°E - 140°E
🌿 Ecology
fish and presumably bottom invertebrates (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
⚠️ Venom Profile
- immediate intense pain
- swelling
- erythema
- occasional nausea and weakness
Analgesia; wound care; tetanus prophylaxis; severe cases may require monitoring for systemic effects.
References: Compiled from Bhide (2018), Halstead et al. (1988) and family-specific envenomation literature
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | bearded shark · carpet shark · fringe shark · Japanese carpet shark · Japanese Wobbegon · Japanese wobbegong |
| 🌍CES | wobegong japonský |
| 🇩🇪German | Japanischer Teppichhai · Japanischer Wobbegong |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | japaninpartahai |
| 🇫🇷French | requin-tapis moustache |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Squalo tappeto giappionese |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | kirinotobuka · oose · Ose · オオセ |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Japanse bakerhaai |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Tubarão-wobbegong-japonês |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Японская бородатая акула · Японская ковровая акула · Японская ковровка |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | tapicero japonés · Wobbegong japonés |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 日本鬚鯊 · 狗檨仔 · 破布鯊 · 虎沙 · 豆腐鯊 · 貓公檨 |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 5 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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