Necklace carpetshark

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Necklace carpetshark
Parascyllium variolatum port phillip bay.jpg
The necklace carpetshark is usually found on or near the ocean floor.[1]
Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Superorder: Selachimorpha
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Parascylliidae
Genus: Parascyllium
Species:
P. variolatum
Binomial name
Parascyllium variolatum
Parascyllium variolatum distmap.png
Range of necklace carpetshark (in blue)
Synonyms

Hemiscyllium variolatum Duméril, 1853
Parascyllium nuchalis McCoy, 1874[1]

The necklace carpetshark (Parascyllium variolatum), also known as the varied carpetshark, is a carpetshark of the family Parascylliidae endemic to the waters off Australia's southern coast between latitudes 37°S and 41°S. It is found near the ocean floor over sand, rock, coral reefs, and kelp and seagrass beds at depths down to 180 m (590 ft).[1] It is almost exclusively seen at night and spends the day hidden in caves or camouflaged on the ocean floor.[3]

With a slender, elongated body and a maximum length of only 0.91 m (3.0 ft) TL, it is harmless to humans. The tail is long, but difficult to tell apart from the rest of the shark. Its body is grey to brown in color with a broad black collar, from which it gets its name, and white spots along its body.[1] It has small spiracles and nostrils with short barbels, likely used for sensory purposes. It is often mistaken for a species of catshark, despite being more closely related to wobbegongs and nurse sharks.[3]

It is a nocturnal predator and feeds mostly on shellfish.[4] Reproduction is oviparous with females laying eggs with curled tendrils that anchor them to the ocean floor.[3] The embryos feed on yolk.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2017). "Parascyllium variolatum" in FishBase. January 2017 version.
  2. ^ Heupel, M.R. (2016). "Parascyllium variolatum". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2016: e.T41844A68640093. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41844A68640093.en. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Tricas, Timothy C.; Deacon, Kevin; Last, Peter; McCosker, John E.; Walker, Terence I. (1997). Taylor, Leighton (ed.). The Nature Company Guides: Sharks & Rays. Sydney: Time-Life Books. pp. 138. ISBN 0-7835-4940-7.
  4. ^ Bray, Dianna J. "Parascyllium variolatum". Fishes of Australia.
  • Leonard Compagno; Marc Dando; Sarah Fowler (2005). Sharks of the world. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-12072-2.

External links[]

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