Guide to Shark Identification

Order Orectolobiformes —

Carpet Sharks

The carpet sharks are a diverse group inhabiting coral and rocky reefs, with the greatest species richness occurring in the Indo-West Pacific region. Many species are attractively patterned. All orectoloboids share the following characteristics:

mouth completely in front of eyes
both dorsal fins without spines
five pairs of gill slits
anal fin present

Key to selected orectoloboid families
Rhicodontidae | Stegostomatidae | Orectolobidae | Hemiscylliidae | Ginglymostomatidae

For more about Carpet Sharks

Family Orectolobidae — Wobbegongs

Wobbegongs are strange sharks restricted to Australian and Southeast Asian waters and feature the following characteristics:

body flattened and paddle-shaped, with broad pectoral and pelvic fins
no dermal ridges along back
fleshy dermal flaps around margin of head
mouth broad and completely anterior to eyes
large, crescent-shaped spiracle behind each eye
both dorsal fins similar in size, the first originating over rear base of the pelvic fins
origin of anal fin well behind origin of second dorsal fin
caudal fin much shorter than rest of shark, almost parallel to body axis and with weakly developed lower lobe

Tassled Wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon)

What to Look For:

profuse, highly branched dermal flaps around margin of head
body and fins covered with reticulated pattern of dark lines on light background
range restricted to northern Australia and New Guinea

Size: average length 2 to 3 feet (60 to 100 centimetres), maximum 4 feet (1.2 metres)

Habitat: Intertidal, Coral Reefs

Distribution: Northern Australian

Spotted Wobbegong (Orectolobus maculatus)

What to Look For:

relatively few, branched dermal flaps around margin of head
body and fins with a somber variegated pattern featuring obscure dark saddles on the back and densely covered with pale ring-shaped markings
dark triangular mark between eyes
range restricted to Australia and Southeast Asia, from the South China Sea and Japan

Size: average length 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres), maximum 10.5 feet (3.2 metres)

Habitat: Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs

Distribution: ?Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, ?Japanese

Ecological profile of the Spotted Wobbegong

Ornate Wobbegong (Orectolobus ornatus)

What to Look For:

relatively few, lobate dermal flaps around margin of head
body and fins with a conspicuous variegated pattern densely covered with light spots and featuring distinct dark saddles with black, corrugated margins interspersed with paler areas on the back
no dark triangular mark between eyes
range restricted to Australia, New Guinea, and Japan

Size: average length 2 to 5 feet (0.6 to 1.5 metres), maximum 10 feet (2.9 metres)

Habitat: Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs

Distribution: Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Family Hemiscylliidae — Bamboo Sharks

Bamboo sharks are delicate little creatures inhabiting coral reefs in the Indo-West Pacific region. All hemiscylliids share the following characteristics:

body elongate and slender
both dorsal fins similar in size, the first originating behind the pelvic fins
mouth small
prominent lobe and groove around outer edge of each nostril
conspicuous circular spiracle below behind each eye
origin of anal fin well behind origin of second dorsal fin, almost appearing to be part of the caudal fin

Epaulette Shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)

What to Look For:

a large black ocellus, ringed with white but not surrounded by black spots, above and behind the base of each pectoral fin; head, flanks and fins with indistinct saddles and scattered large dark spots
range restricted to northern Australia and New Guinea

Size: averages length about 24 inches (60 centimetres), maximum 42 inches (107 centimetres)

Habitat: Intertidal, Coral Reefs

Distribution: Western Australian, ?Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian

Ecological profile of the Epaulette Shark

Family Ginglymostomatidae — Nurse Sharks

Nurse sharks are bottom-loving creatures most commonly associated with coral reef habitats. All ginglymostomatids share the following features:

moderately long, catfish-like nasal barbels
mouth small and connected to base of nasal barbels via nasoral groove
no lobe and groove around outer edge of each nostril
fourth and fifth gill slits very close together
spiracle tiny, located below and behind the eye

Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)

What to Look For:

dorsal fins broadly rounded, pectoral fins broadly rounded and non-falcate
first dorsal fin obviously larger than second dorsal and anal fins, originating over the pelvic fins
origin of anal fin well behind origin of second dorsal fin
juveniles with obscure saddle markings on back and peppered with small dark spots
range limited to eastern Pacific, from Baja to Peru, western and eastern North Atlantic, from Rhode Island to southern Brazil and western Africa, respectively

Size: average length 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.3 metres), maximum to 9 feet (2.8 metres)

Habitat: Intertidal, Estuaries, Sandy Plains, Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs

Distribution: Tropical Eastern Pacific, Chilean, Argentinean, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, ?Eastern North Atlantic/Mediterranean, West African, ?Southern African

Ecological profile of the Nurse Shark

**Tawny Nurse Shark (Nebrius ferrugineus)**

What to Look For:

dorsal fins angular with pointed apices, pectoral fins falcate
first dorsal fin slightly larger than second dorsal and anal fins, originating over the pelvic fins
origin of anal fin slightly behind origin of second dorsal fin
range limited to Indo-West Pacific region, from scattered locales in French Polynesia and Micronesia, northern Australia and New Guinea, through Indonesia and warmer parts of Southeast Asia, India, around the Arabian Peninsula, off eastern Africa and Madagascar

Size: average length about 7 feet (2.3 metres), maximum 10.5 feet (3.2 metres)

Habitat: Intertidal, Sandy Plains, Coral Reefs

Distribution: Central Pacific, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Northern Australian

Family Stegostomatidae — Zebra Shark

The highly distinctive Zebra Shark is the sole representative of its family, whose characteristics (as given below) can be considered the same as those for its only species.

Zebra Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum)

What to Look For:

caudal fin about as long as rest of the shark, broad with weakly developed lower love and almost parallel with body axis
prominent dermal ridges along body, extending from above the gill slits to base of the caudal fin but not forming lateral keels on the tail stalk
short nasal barbels
mouth small and connected to base of nasal barbels via nasoral groove
fourth and fifth gill slits very close together
spiracle larger than eye, located behind it
dorsal fins triangular with pointed apices, pectoral fins broadly rounded and paddle-like
first dorsal fin originating completely behind the pelvic fins
origin of anal fin completely behind base of second dorsal fin
individuals less than 20 inches (50 centimetres) long are dark brown above with narrow, yellowish zebra-like bars and spots breaking back and flanks into dark saddles; between 20 and 35 inches (50 and 90 centimetres), these saddles break up into small brown spots on a yellow background, becoming less linear and more uniformly distributed with further growth

Size: average length 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.3 metres), maximum to 11.5 feet (3.5 metres)

Habitat: Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs

Distribution: Southern African, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Southeastern Australian/New Zealand, Northern Australian, Japanese

Ecological profile of the Zebra Shark

Family Rhincodontidae — Whale Shark

The highly distinctive Whale Shark is the sole representative of its family, whose characteristics (as given below) can be considered the same as those for its only species.

**Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)**

What to Look For:

broad, nearly terminal mouth
prominent dermal ridges along body, extending from above the gill slits to base of the caudal fin, the lowest forming strong lateral keels on the tail stalk
very short nasal barbels
gill slits very large, the fourth and fifth well separated
dorsal fins angular with pointed apices, pectoral fins broadly and falcate
first dorsal fin originating anterior to the pelvic fins
origin of anal fin under that of second dorsal fin
caudal fin erect and semilunate, with well developed lower lobe and lacking a subterminal notch
unique pigmentation pattern of dark background sprinkled with irregular pale spots, the back and flanks divided into orderly ‘checkerboard’ pattern of pale vertical bars and large polkadots, and undersurfaces white

Size: average length 23 to 35 feet (7 to 10.5 metres), maximum to at least 45 feet (13 metres).

Habitat: Rocky Reefs, Coral Reefs, Open Ocean, Deep Sea

Distribution: Central Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Argentinean, Amazonian, Caribbean, Western North Atlantic, West African, Southern African, Central Indian, Madagascaran, Arabian, Indian, Southeast Asian, Western Australian, Northern Australian, Japanese

Ecological profile of the Whale Shark