tropicarium Family Hemiscylliidae Bamboo shark, Long-tailed Carpetshark, Epaulette shark

Family: Hemiscylliidae **Genus: Chiloscyllium **Genus: Hemiscyllium *Species: n~13  Chiloscyllium arabicum (Arabian carpetshark)  Chiloscyllium burmensis (Burmese Bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium caerulopunctatum (Bluespotted  Bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium griseum (Grey bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium hasseltii (Hasselt ’ s Bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium indicum (Slender bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium plagiosum(WhitespottedBambooShark)  Chiloscyllium punctatum (Brownbanded Bamboo Shark) Family: Hemiscylliidae **Genus: Chiloscyllium **Genus: Hemiscyllium *Species: n~13  Chiloscyllium arabicum (Arabian carpetshark)  Chiloscyllium burmensis (Burmese Bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium caerulopunctatum (Bluespotted  Bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium griseum (Grey bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium hasseltii (Hasselt ’ s Bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium indicum (Slender bamboo Shark)  Chiloscyllium plagiosum(WhitespottedBambooShark)  Chiloscyllium punctatum (Brownbanded Bamboo Shark) Smallest - Hemiscyllium freycineti Indonesian speckled carpetshark 46 TL Largest - Hemiscyllium ocellatum Epaulette shark 107 TL  Hemiscyllium freycineti (Indonesian Speckled Bamboo/Carpet Shark)  Hemiscyllium hallstromi(Papuan Epaulette Shark)  Hemiscyllium ocellatum (Epaulette Shark)  Hemiscyllium strahani (Hooded Carpetshark)  Hemiscyllium trispeculare (Speckled Carpet Shark) National Geographic

Defining Characteristics  Greek, Hemi = half + Greek, skylla, -es = a shark Slender, max length ~1m, most under 70cm Mouth ventral Large spiracles below eyes Short nasal barbels

Defining Characteristics Two dorsal fins without spines Anal fin low and rounded, behind 2 nd dorsal Five gill slits Fourth and fifth gill opening behind origin of pectoral fin Precaudal tail longer than head and body length Rounded, highly mobile pectoral and pelvic fins Two dorsal fins without spines Anal fin low and rounded, behind 2 nd dorsal Five gill slits Fourth and fifth gill opening behind origin of pectoral fin Precaudal tail longer than head and body length Rounded, highly mobile pectoral and pelvic fins Bamboo Cat Shark Chiloscyllium punctatum Brownbanded bamboo shark © Doug Perrine

Distribution and Habitat  ~ Close to shore to 100m  Indo-West Pacific  ~ Close to shore to 100m  Indo-West Pacific Bottom dwellers Coral Reefs Chiloscylids - Hemiscyllids -

Feeding Behavior  Primarily nocturnal  Suction feeding  Food includes small bottom fishes and invertebrates  Primarily nocturnal  Suction feeding  Food includes small bottom fishes and invertebrates Hemiscyllium freycineti

Reproduction  oviparous aquacon.com ~ Paired eggs ~ weeks to hatch

Behavior  Relatively sluggish Young brownbanded bambooshark © Doug Perrine  Solitary  Nocturnal  Bottom dwellers  Harmless to humans

Parasites  Gills  Intestines  Gills  Intestines Tom Burns fsu

Population Status:  9 on IUCN Red List, data deficient  Used as foodfishes  Exploitation by the aquarium industry  9 on IUCN Red List, data deficient  Used as foodfishes  Exploitation by the aquarium industry Cabilloaquarium.org

Interesting Tidbits  Some can survive out of H 2 0 for 12 hrs  Parthenogenesis  True Albinos  Two new species of Epaulette Shark  Some can survive out of H 2 0 for 12 hrs  Parthenogenesis  True Albinos  Two new species of Epaulette Shark

References Carrier, J.C., Musick, J.A., Heithaus, M.R., Biology of sharks and their relatives. CRC Press, pp Clark, S., First report of albinism in the white-spotted bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Orectolobiformes: Hemiscyllidae), with a review of reported color aberrations in elasmobranches. Zoo Biology, Volume 21, Issue 6, Pages 519 – 524. Cornish, A.S., First Observation of Mating in the Bamboo Shark Hemiscyllium freycineti (Chondrichthyes: Hemiscylliidae) Zoological Studies 44(40): Compagno, L.J.V., Sharks of the order Carcharhiniformes. Princeton University Press, pp Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (08/2007), accessed 10/1/07. IUCN IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.. Downloaded on 01 October Nelson, J.S., Fishes of the World 4 th edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pg. 55. Wilga, C. D., Lauder, G.V., Functional morphology of the pectoral fins in bamboo sharks, Chiloscyllium plagiosum: Benthic vs. Pelagic station-holding. Journal of Morphology, Volume 249, Issue 3 Pg 195 – 209.

Questions?

Prepared by Amber McCammon October 2007