Ornate wobbegong
| Ornate wobbegong | |
|---|---|
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| Ornate wobbegong in the Great Barrier Reef | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Orectolobiformes |
| Family: | Orectolobidae |
| Genus: | Orectolobus |
| Species: | O. ornatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Orectolobus ornatus (De Vis, 1883)
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| Confirmed range of the ornate wobbegong (see text) | |
The ornate wobbegong (Orectolobus ornatus) is a species of carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae, endemic to Australia.
Taxonomy
The ornate wobbegong was described by Charles Walter De Vis in 1883. It has sometimes been classified as the same species as the Gulf wobbegong (Orectolobus halei); similarities between the two species have caused the ornate wobbegong to previously be considered the juvenile form of the Gulf wobbegong. However, there are multiple differences between the two species: for example, the ornate wobbegong is smaller in size, has a smaller head relative to its body, and is less freckled than the Gulf wobbegong. Therefore, the two are considered to be separate species.[1]
The ornate wobbegong has been called the "banded wobbegong";[2] however, this common name has also been used for the Gulf wobbegong.[3]
Description
The ornate wobbegong is golden brown in colour on its upperside, with blueish-grey areas, and yellow-green on its underside. It has two dorsal fins, a large flat head, small eyes, and flaps of skin around its snout. It reaches sexual maturity at about 80 centimetres (31 in). According to the Australian Museum, it grows to 1.1 metres (3.6 ft) in length,[2] although Coleman wrote that it can grow to 2.8 metres (9.2 ft).[4] It is similar in appearance to the gulf wobbegong and the spotted wobbegong (Orectolobus maculatus). However, it is smaller than the former and it does not have the distinctive O-shaped spots of the latter, distinguishing it from the two species.[2]
Ecology
The ornate wobbegong is usually found on the sea floor in the daytime. It has sharp teeth, which could potentially make it a threat to humans, but it is usually not hostile towards them.[2] Gestation takes almost a year, with young hatching in September or October.[5] Reproduction is ovoviviparous and up to 37 pups are born at a time.[6]
Distribution
The ornate wobbegong lives in shallow coral reefs,[7] in waters no deeper than 100 metres (330 ft). It is native to eastern Australia, in the western Pacific Ocean. Reports have been confirmed at Port Stephens and Sydney. Although it has also been reported to live in Indonesia, Japan, and Papua New Guinea, these reports may have misidentified other fish for this species, which would make the ornate wobbegong endemic to Australia.[1]
The size of the ornate wobbegong's population is not known, nor is whether it is increasing or decreasing. Its main threat in eastern Australia is commercial fishing. A survey from May 2000 to April 2001 concluded that 5,174 total wobbegongs (including other species) were fished and kept in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia. Its flesh is edible, which has caused it to be a target for human consumption, and its skin has previously been utilized for decorative purposes. It is not severely threatened currently; it is only caught in parts of its range and not often. As of 20 February 2015, it is listed as a least-concern species on the IUCN Red List, after two assessments as near threatened in 2003 and 2009.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Huveneers, C.; Pollard, D. A.; Gordon, I.; Flaherty, A. A.; Pogonoski, J. (2015). "Orectolobus ornatus (Ornate Wobbegong)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T41838A68638906.en.
- ^ a b c d McGrouther, Mark. "Banded Wobbegong, Orectolobus ornatus (De Vis, 1883)". Australian Museum. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ Huveneers, C.; Pollard, D. A.; Gordon, I.; Flaherty, A. A.; Pogonoski, J. "Orectolobus halei". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ Coleman, Neville (196). Australia's Sharks & Rays (illustrated, reprint ed.). National Book Distributors and Publishers. pp. 25–27. ISBN 1864362537. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
- ^ Last, Peter Robert; Stephens, John Donald (2009). Sharks and Rays of Australia (2 ed.). CSIRO Publishing. p. 664. ISBN 0643094571. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ Eagle, Dane. "Orectolobus maculatus". Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
- ^ Allen, Gerry (2000). "Marine Fishes of South-East Asia". Singapore: Periplus Editions. p. 40. ISBN 962-593-267-4.
- Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Orectolobus ornatus". FishBase. May 2006 version.
- Huveneers, C. (2006). Redescription of two species of wobbegongs (Chondrichthyes: Orectolobidae) with elevation of Orectolobus halei Whitley 1940 to species level. Zootaxa 1284: 29-51.