DIVELOG JUNE 406

MARINE BIOLOGY WITH MIKE SCOTLAND - FISH IDENTIFICATION

Bearded or Tasseled wobbegong , Eucrossorhinus dasypogon . You can see that its mouth is right at the very end of its head. Its eyes are also well disguised just in front of the white spot.

Tasseled wobby, Eucrossorhinus dasypogon The Hairy Bearded wobby (Dasy means hairy and pogon beard) lives in northern Australia and in the Coral triangle. They sleep in a coral cave during the day and become more active at night. Tasseled wobbegongs can change colour to a degree. They are able to blend in with the snow-white coral sand by becoming paler. The Bearded wobbegong has pointy teeth like nails specialised for catching fish. Its tail has an upper lobe but no lower lobe. Its body has a mosaic pattern on top and is white underneath. It has a very big mouth and has

been recorded as being able to eat prey over one metre long. Some scientists believe that it waggles its tail to attract fish and sharks like a rattlesnake does. It even has a false eyespot near the tail. Reproduction is Ovoviparous. Like all Elasmobranch sharks, wobbegongs have internal fertilisation. Females release powerful sex hormones called pheromones, attracting males. Mating is the usual shark technique whereby the male restrains the female by biting her pectoral fins before inserting one

Amazing camouflage of this Bearded wobby, resting on plate coral, out in the open.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #406 - June ‘24