brownbanded bamboo shark

6/29/2018

Source: Tony Shih / Flickr.

The brownbanded bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium punctatum), also known as the grey carpetshark, is a widely distributed tropical species found in numerous habitats throughout its range. Observed in the Indo-West Pacific region, they are fished for in Southeast Asia and is actually one of the most common species in fish markets in Thailand!

Want to know a secret about this shark?

Source: Felix Manuel Cobos Sánchez / Wikimedia Commons.

Source: Bill and Mark Bell / Flickr.

#Finfact: The Australian brownbanded bamboo shark may be a cryptic sister-species to the Southeast Asian one. These sharks can be seen in groups of up to a dozen individuals huddled together for protection when in an otherwise open ocean habitat. Found in intertidal and subtidal habitats, they are also seen over sandy and muddy substrates, seagrass beds and rocky and coral reef habitat up to 85 metres deep.

An oviparous species, a captive female shark stored sperm for 45 months before producing pups (Bernal et al. 2015). If that wasn't fascinating enough, captive females in a study laid large numbers of eggs in a year- 466 eggs for 3 females (Phuket, Thailand; Yano et al. 2005) and 692 eggs laid between six females (Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia; Harahush et al. 2007). You can pick your jaw up from the floor now.

The IUCN has assessed these animals as Near Threatened (NT). In Australia, they are assessed as Least Concern (LC).

DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS ANIMAL?

GLOSSARY

IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Oviparity/oviparous: Where adult Chondrichthyans lay eggcases (also known as ‘mermaid’s purses) and the baby develops inside the egg before hatching.
Pups: Baby sharks.