Necklace carpetshark

Necklace carpetshark
The necklace carpetshark is usually found on or near the ocean floor.[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Chondrichthyes
Order:Orectolobiformes
Family:Parascylliidae
Genus:Parascyllium
Species: P. variolatum
Binomial name
Parascyllium variolatum
Range of necklace carpetshark (in blue)
Synonyms

Hemiscyllium variolatum Duméril, 1853
Parascyllium nuchalis McCoy, 1874[2]

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).[2] 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.[2] 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.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2017). "Parascyllium variolatum" in FishBase. January 2017 version.
  3. 1 2 3 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. p. 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.
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