The Japanese Wobbegong (Orectolobus japonicas) is a flattened, funny looking fish whose home is the temperate and tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean. With a distinctive body shape that is flat and broad with fringe branching skin flaps all along the mouth that reassemble a beard. It remains unclear if spotted wobbegong are active, prowling hunters or ambush predators that sit and wait for unsuspecting prey to get too close. Meet the Wobbegong, a species of the “carpet shark” family – not the piece of old rug that it may first seem! Indonesia, Tasselled wobbegong (eucrossorhinus dasypogon) sitting on a rock on the ocean floor. The tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon) is a species of carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae and the only member of its genus.It inhabits shallow coral reefs off northern Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands.Reaching 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in length, this species has a broad and flattened body and head. These sharks can grow their length up to 1.8 m long. The female wobbegong … Spotted wobbegong sharks, Orectolobus maculatus (Bonnaterre, 1788), aka wobbegongs, reach a maximum length of 3.2 m with the average size of adult males between 1.5-1.8 m. These amazing sharks are mottled yellow-green or brown in color with saddle- and O-shaped markings. The latin name for the tasselled wobbegong ( Eucrossorhinus dasypogon ) roughly translates to ‘well fringed nose with shaggy beard’. Female wobbegong sharks birth to pups. Wobbegong. Spotted wobbegong feed primarily at night, and may swim along the bottom in a manner similar to nurse sharks (Ginglymostomatidae) (Compagno, 2002). This is a carpet shark (Order Orectolobiformes), one of 12 species that belong to the Wobbegong family (Orectolobidae). Some wobbegong sharks can be kept as pets at the house. The tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon) is a highly unusual looking shark, its patterning and coral like tassels on its head makes it blend in with sea beds and coral reefs. Again like the Angel sharks the Tasselled Wobbegong is primarily a nocturnal ambush predator that relies on patience, camouflage and reflexes to hunt, however the one adaptation that makes E. dasypogon more effective is its ability to use its ‘beard’ as bait to draw its prey closer in a similar way to that of Anglerfish, it tends to feed on anything that passes close enough for a quick strike. It is one of a group of flattened, bottom-living sharks that are masters of camouflage, The squaspashed shape and broad, paired fins are further adaptations to an existence on the ocean floor. While it lies still, the Tasselled Wobbegong looks like a seaweed-covered rock, which is exactly its objective. Wobbegong sharks have sharp teeth and strong jaws. Their body and heads are flattened in shape, and their jaws protrude forward when capturing prey. Tasselled Wobbegong Longnose Sawshark SHARK FACTS • Can grow up to 10 feet long; females are slightly larger than males • Gray or bronze in color with a white belly • Also known as the sand tiger shark or the grey nurse shark • Slow moving and calm • Holds air in its stomach to prevent rolling over or sinking to the bottom of the ocean Divers commonly approach and photograph the tasselled wobbegong during the daytime, without inciting agonistic behaviour, though probably stepping on or near this well-camouflaged shark might cause it to bite at least in self-defence or by possibly mistaking a human foot for prey. Wobbegong sharks are not endangered yet. The Tasselled Wobbegong The Tasselled Wobbegong is an extremely unusual looking shark. The Tasselled Wobbegong stays low and camouflaged on …