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PORT JACKSON SHARK FACTS |
Description
Body tapering to a slender tail with a robust head, a blunt snout, a low ridge over each eye and two triangular dorsal fins, each with a strong spine. Pale grey to brownish with dark harness-like markings. Usually 80 cm long head to tail tip (up to 140 cm).
A bottom-dwelling shark with sharp grasping teeth at the front of its jaws and crushing molars at the rear used for grabbing then crushing prey such as molluscs, sea urchins, crustaceans and fishes. Females lay dark brown spiral egg cases and wedge them into crevices for protection. The young hatch after about one year. The leathery egg cases often wash up on beaches after storms.
Author credit: Dianne J. Bray, Dr Martin F. Gomon / Museum Victoria
Habitat
Usually on rocky reefs, but also found on other bottoms.
Food
Carnivore
Range
Southern Australia.
Species Description is from Museums Field Guide, Atlas of Living Australia at website at https://lists.ala.org.au Licensed under Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Classification
| Class: | Chondrichthyes | | Order: | Heterodontiformes | | Family: | Heterodontidae | | Genus: | Heterodontus | | Species: | portusjacksoni | | Common Name: | Port Jackson Shark |
Relatives in same Genus
Crested Horn shark (H. galeatus)
Japanese Bullhead Shark (H. japonicus)
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