Indonesian wobbegong


The Indonesian wobbegong is a species of carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, that can grow up to 120 cm in length, and lives in the Western Pacific on the ocean floor, and is harmless to humans.

Naming

Its scientific name is O. leptolineatus, with leptolineatus meaning thin lines, which is about the camouflaging pattern on its skin.

Distribution and habitat

It lives in benthopelagic environments with a minimum depth range of 20 meters, in tropical areas. It lives near Indonesia, and off Sarawak, Malaysian, and has unconfirmed records from the Penghu Islands, Visayas, and Cebu City.

Description

Males grow to a length of 112 cm, while females grow a bit larger at 120 cm. Its coloration is dark brownish bars, over the dorsal and lateral surfaces, and is dorsal and upper surfaced paired fins contains vermicular patterns. The ventral surface of the trunk is pale, with nasal barbels with branches, with up to 3 simple lobes, along with 3 to 4 branches lobes. The dorsal fin grows tall, with the first dorsal fin near the pelvic fins. It has 23 rows of teeth in the upper jaw, and a rudimentary row of teeth that is at the symphysis of the upper jaw. Its total vertebral ranges from 148 to 163.

Maturity

Males are mature when they reach 90 cm in length, and the smallest mature female was at 94 cm in length, along with 2 pregnant females recorded, with one 104 cm, and the other at 108 cm in length. The smaller of the 2 females were found with 4 mid-term embryos between 13 cm, and 14 cm in length.