Wobbegong is the common name given to the 12 species of

carpet shark Carpet sharks are sharks classified in the order (biology), order Orectolobiformes . Sometimes the common name "carpet shark" (given because many species resemble ornately patterned carpets) is used interchangeably with "wobbegong", which is the ...

s in the family Orectolobidae. They are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters of the western

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

and eastern

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...

, chiefly around

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 ...

and

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

, although one species (the Japanese wobbegong, ''Orectolobus japonicus'') occurs as far north as

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. The word ''wobbegong'' is believed to come from an

Australian Aboriginal language The Indigenous languages of Australia number in the hundreds, the precise number being quite uncertain, although there is a range of estimates from a minimum of around 250 (using the technical definition of 'language' as non-mutually intellig ...

, meaning "shaggy beard", referring to the growths around the mouth of the shark of the western Pacific.

Description

Wobbegongs are bottom-dwelling sharks, spending much of their time resting on the sea floor. Most species have a maximum length of , but the largest, the

spotted wobbegong The spotted wobbegong (''Orectolobus maculatus'') is a carpet shark in the family (biology), family Orectolobidae, endemic to Australia. It is a large, robust species, typically reaching in length. Coloured green, yellow, or brown, it has dist ...

, ''Orectolobus maculatus'', and banded wobbegong, ''O. halei'', reach about in length. Wobbegongs are well

camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...

d with a

symmetrical Symmetry () in everyday life refers to a sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance. In mathematics, the term has a more precise definition and is usually used to refer to an object that is invariant under some transformations ...

pattern of bold markings which resembles a carpet. Because of this striking pattern, wobbegongs and their close relatives are often referred to as

s. The camouflage is improved by the presence of small weed-like whisker lobes surrounding the wobbegong's jaw, which help to camouflage it and act as sensory barbs. Wobbegongs make use of their camouflage to hide among rocks and catch smaller fish which swim too close, typical of

ambush predator Ambush predators or sit-and-wait predators are carnivorous animals that capture their prey via stealth, luring or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an element of surprise. Unlike pursuit predators, who chase to capture prey u ...

s. Wobbegongs also have a powerful jaw with needle-like teeth that assist in catching reef fish and other sharks for food. The blood cells of several species of wobbegong have also been described.

Interaction with humans

Wobbegongs are generally not considered dangerous to humans, but have attacked swimmers, snorkelers, and scuba divers who inadvertently come close to them. The Australian Shark Attack File contains more than 50 records of unprovoked attacks by wobbegongs, and the International Shark Attack File 31 records, none of them fatal. Wobbegongs have also bitten

surfers Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

. 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. There are many more attacks by humans on wobbegongs: in Australia, wobbegong skin is used to make

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...

Captivity

Although most wobbegong species are unsuitable for home aquaria due to their large adult size, this has not stopped some of the larger species from being sold in the aquarium trade. Small wobbegong species, such as the tasselled wobbegong and Ward's wobbegong, are "ideal" sharks for home aquarists to

keep A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residen ...

because they are an appropriate size and are lethargic, enabling them to be accommodated within the limited space of a home tank, although they will consume tankmates, even quite large ones. Some aquarists, by contrast, see the lack of activity to be a drawback to keeping wobbegongs, and prefer more active sharks. Wobbegongs are largely nocturnal and, due to their slow metabolism, do not have to be fed as often as other sharks. Most do well on two feedings weekly. Underfed wobbegongs can be recognised by visibly atrophied dorsal musculature.

Genera and species

The 12 living species of wobbegong, in three genera, are: * Genus '' Eucrossorhinus'' Regan, 1908 **'' Eucrossorhinus dasypogon'' ( Bleeker, 1867) (tasselled wobbegong) * Genus '' Orectolobus'' Bonaparte, 1834 **'' Orectolobus floridus''

Last A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts come in many styles and sizes, depending on the exact job they are designed for. Common variations ...

& Chidlow, 2008 (floral banded wobbegong) ** '' Orectolobus halei'' Whitley, 1940. (Gulf wobbegong or banded wobbegong) ** '' Orectolobus hutchinsi''

, Chidlow & Compagno, 2006. (western wobbegong) ** '' Orectolobus japonicus'' Regan, 1906 (Japanese wobbegong) ** '' Orectolobus leptolineatus'' Last, Pogonoski & W. T. White, 2010 (Indonesian wobbegong) ** '' Orectolobus maculatus'' ( Bonnaterre, 1788) (spotted wobbegong) ** '' Orectolobus ornatus'' ( De Vis, 1883) (ornate wobbegong) ** '' Orectolobus parvimaculatus''

& Chidlow, 2008 (dwarf spotted wobbegong) ** '' Orectolobus reticulatus''

, Pogonoski & W. T. White, 2008 (network wobbegong) ** '' Orectolobus wardi'' Whitley, 1939 (northern wobbegong) * Genus ''Sutorectus'' Whitley, 1939 ** '' Sutorectus tentaculatus'' ( W. K. H. Peters, 1864) (cobbler wobbegong)

Fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserve ...

genera include: * '' Cretorectolobus'' Case, 1978 * '' Eometlaouia'' Noubhani & Cappetta, 2002 * '' Orectoloboides'' Cappetta 1977

Conservation status

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Australian Aboriginal words and phrases Extant Late Jurassic first appearances