The Seafloor Has a Carpet – A Shark You Shouldn’t Step On
Ever wondered what the most special-looking shark species could be? Well, the tasseled wobbegong shark is definitely a good candidate. Sometimes referred to as carpet sharks, these animals have an extraordinary, flattened appearance, due to their characteristic, branched lobes that extend from their heads. Although these sharks were first described in 1867, they remain mysterious as we still really don’t know them.
The tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon) is a species of carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae that inhabits the shallow coral reefs off northern Australia, New Guinea, and the adjacent islands. Reaching 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in length, this species has a broad and flattened body and head, but its most distinctive trait is a fringe of branching dermal flaps around its head, which extends onto its chin that enable it to camouflage itself against the coral reef environment, in which it lives.
During the day, the solitary tasselled wobbegong can generally be found lying inside caves or under ledges with its tail curled up, but when the night comes, it emerges and actively forages for food – even for humans, if the opportunity arises. They have been reported to bite and kill people even when unprovoked, with most attacks probably resulting from people accidentally disturbing them or being misperceived as prey.
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