Scientific Classification
- Common Name
- epaulette shark
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Orectolobiformes
- Family
- No data
- Genus Species
- Hemiscyllium ocellatum
Fast Facts
- Description
- No data
Male: External claspers located on the far underside of the body – forward of the caudal fin – distinguish males. - Size
- No data
- Weight
- No data
- Diet
- No data
- Gestation
- No data
- Sexual Maturity
- No data
- Life Span
- No data
- Range
- No data
- Habitat
- No data
- Population
- No data
- Status
- IUCN: No data
CITES: No data
USFWS: No data
Fun Facts
- Sharks do not make good parents! The mother epaulette shark usually lays 2 to 3 eggs per week. In about 130 days, the fully formed pups are totally independent and ready to fend for themselves. After the eggs are layed, the mother shark leaves her offspring to fend for itself.
- Epaulette sharks are found in large numbers in the shallow waters of coral reefs around Australia and New Guinea, where they can be seen crawling along the bottom.
- For more information about sharks & rays, explore the Sharks & Rays InfoBook.
Ecology and Conservation
No data
Bibliography
No data