DIVELOG JUNE 406

MARINE BIOLOGY WITH MIKE SCOTLAND - FISH IDENTIFICATION

of his claspers, which deliver sperm to fertilise eggs internally. They reproduce using eggs with a yolk which are retained inside the uterus. Babies develop in a brood chamber solely from the yolk in the egg. They take 10 to 11 months to develop in the womb and 12 to 40 babies are born live around September at an average of 21 cms long. (Birth times vary with water temperatures.) Ovoviparous reproduction (Ovo means eggs and viviporous refers to liveborn.) Embryos actually get smaller in the last few weeks before birth when they have used up all of the nutrients in the egg yolk but have yet to complete their development. (This is different to Tiger sharks, which get extra nourishment from the uterus by uterine milk or uterine cannibalism. This additional nutrition assists growth when the egg yolk is used up until the babies are large enough.) Baby wobbies are born as fully developed miniature sharks.

‘Sydney is one of the few cities in the entire world where you can see these magnificent predators right on our DOORSTEP’

Above right: One safe way to interact and observe wobbegongs from above with a large rock wall or a great big camera protecting you. Below: Wobbegongs will tolerate a few photos. The Spotted wobby is beginning to lift off showing that she is ready to exit.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #406 - June ‘24

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