Family HEMISCYLLIIDAE

Hemiscylliidae

© Copyright Ros Poole.

Chiloscyllium_punctatum

© Copyright Müller & Henle 1838

Museums

Regional Maps

External Links

Introduction

The Hemiscylliidae comprise two genera and 12 or 13 species (Compagno 2001; Compagno et al. 2005). Last & Stevens (2009) recorded both genera and three species known from Australia, and one species additional species has recently been found in Torres Strait.

Carpetsharks occur worldwide in tropical and temperate seas, from coral reefs to the continental shelf to depths of about 180 m. All species are benthic. Some species are oviparous, producing oval egg cases, some retain the egg cases until hatching and others are ovoviviparous. They feed on a variety of fishes and invertebrates and range in size as adults from 30 cm to 1.4 m.

Compagno (1973, 1984) divided the previously recognised Orectolobidae into six families (Brachaeluridae, Ginglymostomatidae, Hemiscylliidae, Orectolobidae, Parascylliidae and Stegostomatidae). Dingerkus & De Fino (1983) revised the genera Hemiscyllium and Chiloscyllium. Compagno (1984, 2001) and Compagno & Niem (1998) treated all Australian species. Allen & Erdmann (2008) presented a key to Hemiscyllium.

General References

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2008. Two new species of bamboo sharks (Orectolobiformes: Hemiscylliidae) from Western New Guinea. Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology 13(3-4): 93-108

Compagno, L.J.V. 1973. Interrelationships of living elasmobranchs. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 53(suppl. 1): 15-61 pls 1-2

Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Rome : FAO Vol. 4(1) pp. 1-249.

Compagno, L.J.V. 2001. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). Rome : FAO, FAO Species Catalogue for Fisheries Purposes No. 1 Vol. 2 269 pp.

Compagno, L.J.V., Dando, M. & Fowler, S. 2005. A Field Guide to the Sharks of the World. London : Collins 368 pp.

Compagno, L.J.V. & Niem, V.H. 1998. Families Squatinidae, Heterodontidae, Parascylliidae, Brachaeluridae, Orectolobidae, Hemiscylliidae. pp. 1235-1259 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 2 687-1396 pp.

Dingerkus, G. & De Fino, T.C. 1983. A revision of the orectolobiform shark family Hemiscyllidae (Chondrichthys, Selachii). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 176(1): 1-93 figs 1-93

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp. [146]

Müller, J. & Henle, F.G.J. 1838. Systematische Beschreibung der Plagiostomen. Berlin : Veit & Co. pp. 1-28 pls. [pl. 3]

Common Name References

Compagno, L.J.V. 2001. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). Rome : FAO, FAO Species Catalogue for Fisheries Purposes No. 1 Vol. 2 269 pp. [164] (FAO) (Bamboo Sharks)

Compagno, L.J.V. & Niem, V.H. 1998. Families Squatinidae, Heterodontidae, Parascylliidae, Brachaeluridae, Orectolobidae, Hemiscylliidae. pp. 1235-1259 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 2 687-1396 pp. [1249] (FAO) (Longtail Carpetsharks)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. [134] (Longtail Carpet Sharks)

History of changes