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Family
Hemiscylliidae (Bamboo sharks)
Species Currently in the DFL
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About This Family
Distribution:
Indo-West Pacific (Madagascar to Japan and Australia)
Habitat:
Marine
Remarks:
The Bamboo sharks, also known as long-tailed carpet sharks, are small, slender, elongate sharks with short barbells, nasal grooves, and large spiracles below eyes. They occur in the tropical western Pacific and the Australia region, inhabiting in tide pools on rocky or coral reefs close inshore, occasionally they are just barely covered with water.
Their distinctive features include precaudal tail is longer than head and body length; maximum length is 1 m; and dark spots and pattern of dark saddles are present on body. These shallow-water inhabitants possess two spineless dorsal fins, anal fin, and five gill slits.
Bamboo sharks feed on small bottom fishes and invertebrates; their slender and muscular paired fins are efficient for climbing over rocks and in crevices.
This family comprises two genera, Chiloscyllium (7) and Hemiscyllium (5, primarily western Pacific, Australia and New Guinea
), with 12 species.
References: Compagno 1984; Nelson 2006