Animalscaretips
The spotted wobbegong is a nocturnal ambush predator that uses its spotted pattern, beard of fleshy tassels and elongated fins to blend in perfectly with its surroundings.
- Is a wobbegong a shark?
- Do wobbegong sharks bite?
- How long do tasseled Wobbegongs live?
- When was the wobbegong discovered?
- Can you eat wobbegong?
- How big can a wobbegong get?
- What eats a wobbegong shark?
- Is wobbegong protected?
- Where are wobbegong found?
- How does a Wobbegong eat?
- How many babies do Wobbegongs have?
- Is Dogfish a fish?
- Can you have a dwarf lantern shark as a pet?
Is a wobbegong a shark?
Affectionately referred to as “wobbies,” the name wobbegong comes from the aboriginal word meaning “shaggy beard.” Wobbegong are placid, retiring sharks that live on the bottom in shallow temperate waters. Their teeth are small, pointy and sharp, but they're not a threat to divers unless harassed and provoked.
Do wobbegong sharks bite?
Wobbegongs are very flexible and can easily bite a hand holding onto 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.
How long do tasseled Wobbegongs live?
There are records of some other species of wobbegong fishes living up to 26 years.
When was the wobbegong discovered?
Pieter Bleeker, a Dutch ichthyologist, originally described the tasselled wobbegong as Crossorhrinus dasypogon, in 1867.
Can you eat wobbegong?
While you can find wobbegong on the menu in some local Australian fish n' chip shops, they aren't as widely eaten as some other sharks like porbeagles and mako sharks. Wobbegongs used to be fished with very little regulation in Australia.
How big can a wobbegong get?
Spotted wobbegong can reach a maximum length of about 10.5 feet (3.2 m).
What eats a wobbegong shark?
2007b). Any large fish or marine mammals are potential predators of the spotted wobbegong. The onchobothriid tetraphyllidean cestode is one known parasite of the spotted wobbegong.
Is wobbegong protected?
Their name possibly derived from an Australian Aboriginal word, Wobbegongs represent just 12 species of carpet sharks in the family Orectolobidae in the order Orectolobiformes which includes the whale shark and zebra shark. Wobbegongs are the only truely protected species in Australia. The bag limit is zero.
Where are wobbegong found?
The species occurs along the southern coastline of Australia from southern Queensland to south-western Western Australia. It is possibly endemic to Australia.
How does a Wobbegong eat?
Spotted wobbegong sharks, Orectolobus maculatus, feed at night on octopuses, crabs, lobsters, sea bass, and luderick. They often lie still on the bottom while waiting for prey to swim close to their mouths. Spotted wobbegong sharks have also been observed sneaking up on prey from a distance.
How many babies do Wobbegongs have?
The gestation period is almost a full year, and the females will give birth to around 20 pups. A non-parental species, the juveniles leave their mother almost immediately after birth, to avoid potentially being eaten by her.
Is Dogfish a fish?
dogfish, (order Squaliformes), any of several small sharks making up an order of chondrichthyian fishes composed of the families Centrophoridae (gulper sharks), Dalatiidae, Echinorhinidae, Etmopteridae, Oxynotidae, Somniosidae, and Squalidae. In North America the name is also used for a freshwater fish, the bowfin.
Can you have a dwarf lantern shark as a pet?
The truest small sharks, such as the dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi), which grows to just over 7 inches, are not available to aquarists. They live in deep ocean habitats and would not be suitable for captivity because of the physical characteristics of their natural environment.
