Indonesian speckled carpetshark
The Indonesian speckled carpetshark, Hemiscyllium freycineti, is a species of bamboo shark in the family Hemiscylliidae. It is found in the shallow ocean around the Raja Ampat Islands in West Papua, Indonesia, but was formerly believed to be more widespread. This was due to confusion with H. michaeli, a species described from eastern Papua New Guinea in 2010.[1][2] Compared to that species, the spots on H. freycineti are smaller, more rounded or slightly elongated in shape (versus relatively large, edged and more leopard-like in H. michaeli), and tend to darken at regular intervals forming 8-9 vertical bars on the body and tail. Furthermore, the large black spot behind the pectoral fin is more clearly defined in H. michaeli than in H. freycineti.[1][2] Confusingly, some books with illustrations and photos labelled as H. freycineti actually show H. michaeli.[1][2]
| Indonesian speckled carpetshark | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Order: | Orectolobiformes |
| Family: | Hemiscylliidae |
| Genus: | Hemiscyllium |
| Species: | H. freycineti |
| Binomial name | |
| Hemiscyllium freycineti | |
 | |
| Range of the Indonesian speckled carpetshark (note: It is only found in the far western part of the blue) | |
H. freycineti reaches a length is up to 46 centimetres (18 in).[3] It is nocturnal, hiding in reef crevices during the day.[4]
See also
References
- Michael, S. (May 16, 2008). Will the real Hemiscyllium freycineti please stand up?
- Allen & Dudgeon (2010). "Hemiscyllium michaeli, a new species of Bamboo Shark (Hemiscyllidae) from Papua New Guinea". Aqua International Journal of Ichthyology. 16 (1): 19–30.
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Hemiscyllium freycineti" in FishBase. July 2006 version.
- Compagno, Dando, & Fowler (2005). Sharks of the World. Princeton University Press, New Jersey. ISBN 0-691-12072-2