Tasselled wobbegong

A shark disguised as a carpet

The tasselled wobbegong is a carpet shark with a broad, flattened body that presses close to the seabed and can reach about 1.8 metres in length. Its most distinctive feature is a fringe of branching skin flaps that rings its whole head and extends onto its chin, like a ragged beard. Combined with an intricate pattern of blotches and reticulations, these flaps make it almost indistinguishable from the reef it rests on.

Habitat and distribution

It lives on the shallow coral reefs of northern Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands, including the famous Raja Ampat archipelago. It spends the daylight hours motionless, often curled up in caves and beneath coral overhangs.

Behaviour and hunting

It is an ambush predator: it stays perfectly still, blending into its surroundings, and waits for fish and crustaceans to pass within reach, then sucks them in with lightning speed thanks to its wide mouth and sharp, backward-pointing teeth. Some observers believe it may even use the tip of its tail as a lure. It is active mainly at night.

Curiosities

Despite its placid look, this shark can bite if disturbed or trodden on by divers, and its grip is tenacious. Under normal circumstances, however, it is entirely harmless to people and prefers to stay hidden.

Conservation

The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern. As it is tied to coral reefs, it is nonetheless affected by the degradation of these habitats caused by ocean warming and destructive fishing.