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The shark species "Japanese bullhead shark"

Photo
Japanese bullhead shark
Japanese bullhead shark
Photo © BluePlanetArchive.com

Photo © BluePlanetArchive.com

Range Map
North America South America Africa Australia Europe Asia Coming soon Coming soon
North America South America Africa Australia Europe Asia Coming soon Coming soon
Japanese bullhead shark

Rough area of distribution

Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Animals (Animalia)
Phylum:
Vertebrates (Chordata)
Class:
Cartilagenous fishes (Chondrichthyes)
Order:
Bullhead sharks (Heterodontiformes)
Family:
Bullhead sharks (Heterodontidae)
Genus:
Heterodontus
Names
Scientific:
Heterodontus japonicus
English:
Japanese bullhead shark , Horned shark
German:
Japanischer Stierkopfhai
French:
Requin dormeur nekozame
Spanish:
Dormilon japones
Appearance
Cylindrical trunk with conical head. Small spiracles behind and below the eyes. Very short snout, bluntly rounded. Supraorbital ridges low. Both dorsal fins with a stout fin spine. Origin of first dorsal fin behind midbase of pectoral fins. Origin of second dorsal fin over insertion of pelvic fins. Large pectoral fins. Anal fin present.
Coloration
Light brown, with broad, dark brown saddle-marks.
Distribution
Western North Pacific: Japan, Korea, northern China, Taiwan.
Biology
A common species over the continental shelf, found on or close to bottom, between 6 and 37m. Lives preferably around rocky or kelp-covered areas. This species is able to "walk" over the bottom, with its paired fins.
Diet
Feeds on crustaceans, molluscs, small fishes and sea urchins.
Size
Maximum length about 120 cm, average size between 90 and 110 cm.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg laying). Egg cases are simply built, flat, broad paired spiral flanges, which are diagonal to egg axis (3 turns visible on sides). Very short tendrils on egg apex. Several females may lay their eggs on a singular site. Females usually lay two eggs at a time. Eggs need about a year to hatch. Size at hatching about 18 cm. Males reach maturity with about 70 cm.
Similar Species
Other bullhead sharks have a similar appearance but this species is the only on in the described area.
Vulnerability
Category: Least Concern (LC)
Criteria: -
Last evaluated: 2021
Trend: Stable




© IUCN Red List 2024. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Version 2024-2.

Danger to Humans
Harmless.

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