The eastern spotted gummy shark (''Mustelus walkeri'') is a species of houndshark in the family Triakidae, found in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

n waters. It is a relatively large species.

Description

The eastern spotted gummy shark has tall dorsal

fin A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. F ...

s, with its first dorsal-fin base being 1.6-2.0 times the anal-caudal space, with the insertion of the anal fins usually being over its apex. Juveniles have caudal fins with distinctive whitish posterior margins and the bases and inner lobes of their dorsal fins are not strongly contracted to the distal portion; the inner lobe is pale-edged. Its dorsal color is pale and grey, with numerous small, white spots on the postspiracular head and body. The light and dark tonal coloration borders on its head between the eye and the middle of the first gill slit. Its intergill membranes are much darker dorsally than ventrally. It has a posterior margin that, as opposed to being upright distally, is directed posteroventrally from top to bottom. The long

clasper In biology, a clasper is a male anatomical structure found in some groups of animals, used in mating. Male cartilaginous fish have claspers formed from the posterior portion of their pelvic fin which serve to channel semen into the female's ...

s of adult males are slender and strongly depressed, the inner length about 9-10% of total length, extending to just anterior of the second dorsal-fin origin. The eastern spotted gummy shark's buccopharyngeal denticles cover the entire palate and floor of its

mouth A mouth also referred to as the oral is the body orifice through which many animals ingest food and animal communication#Auditory, vocalize. The body cavity immediately behind the mouth opening, known as the oral cavity (or in Latin), is also t ...

. Its spiracle is usually close to the level of its mid-eye. It has about 69-73 teeth rows, and has 78-94 precaudal vertebral centra and 35-39 monospondylous centra.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:shark, gummy, spotted, eastern eastern spotted gummy shark eastern spotted gummy shark