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The shark species "Port Jackson shark"

Photo
Port Jackson shark
Port Jackson shark
Photo © BluePlanetArchive.com

Photo © BluePlanetArchive.com

Range Map
North America South America Africa Australia Europe Asia
North America South America Africa Australia Europe Asia
Port Jackson 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 portusjacksoni
English:
Port Jackson shark , Oystercrusher , Pigfish , Bulldog shark
German:
Port Jackson Stierkopfhai
French:
Requin dormeur taureau
Spanish:
Dormilon toro
Appearance
Cylindrical trunk with conical head, small spiracles behind and below the eyes. Very short snout, bluntly rounded. Supraorbital ridges low which do not end abruptly behind the eyes. Both dorsal fins with a stout fin spine. Origin of first dorsal fin over base of pectoral fins. Origin of second dorsal fin over insertion of pelvic fins. Large pectoral fins. Anal fin present.
Coloration
Grey to light brown or even whitish with prominent black bar across head and down the cheeks. Triangular black harness-like set of bars converge on the sides and the back from the first dorsal origin, pectoral and pelvic fin bases. A horizontal black stripe occurs on the sides of back and tail.
Distribution
Western South Pacific: Australia (southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South and Western Australia), possibly New Zealand.
Biology
A nocturnal bottom-living shark of the continental shelves. Lives close inshore (intertidal) down to at least 170 m. This species prefers caves with sandy floors as resting places (including open trenches of shallow rocky reefs). In these resting places up to 16 sharks have been found. Homing to these places may be possible.
Diet
Feeds primarily on invertebrates (benthic), with the echinoderms (sea urchins) as the most important ones.
Size
Maximum size about 165 cm, average size between 100 to 120 cm.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg laying), with seasonal breeding. Egg cases are simply built, flat, broad paired spiral flanges, which are diagonal to egg axis (4 to 5 turns visible on sides). Very short tendrils on egg apex. 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. Females lay between 10 and 16 eggs, commonly 10 to 12, in rock crevices on shallow reefs. Young hatch after 9 to 12 months, and then move into nursery areas (bays and estuaries). Hatching size around 23 cm. Males reach sexual maturity between 50 and 80 cm, females with 70 and 80 cm.
Similar Species
Color pattern of this species is very distinctive.
Vulnerability
Category: Least Concern (LC)
Criteria: -
Last evaluated: 2015
Trend: Stable




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

Danger to Humans
Harmless.

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