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Field Marks : Mouth well in front of eyes, spineless dorsal fins far posterior on tail, greatly elongated thick precaudal tail, long and low anal fin just anterior to caudal fin, no lateral ridges on trunk, dorsal fins with elongated free rear tips, first dorsal origin opposite anterior halves of pelvic bases, usually no colour pattern in adults but young with transverse bands and a few dark spots.

Diagnostic Features: Body and tail moderately slender; snout rounded anteriorly, no lateral ridges on trunk. Dorsal fins large and angular, somewhat larger than pelvic fins, dorsals with projecting free rear tips; interdorsal space fairly short, slightly greater than first dorsal base; first dorsal origin over anterior halves of pelvic bases; origin of anal fin somewhat behind free rear tip of first dorsal, anal fin length from origin to free rear tip somewhat less than hypural caudal lobe from lower caudal origin to free rear tip. Colour light brown in adults, usually without a colour pattern, but young with dark transverse spots and usually a scattering of small blackish spots.

Geographical Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam, China (including Taiwan Island), Japan, the Philippines, Australia (Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland).

Habitat and Biology : A common inshore bottom shark found on coral reefs, often in tidepools. Very tenacious of life, can survive out of water for a long period (half a day). Oviparous, deposited in rounded egg cases. Gills sometimes infested by larval isopods (Praniza-larva of the isopod Gnathia). Size : Maximum total length about 104 cm.

Interest to Fisheries: Regularly taken in inshore fisheries in India and Thailand, and utilized for human food. In Australia it is taken in beach seines and on hook-and-line and is said to prefer squid bait; it is little utilized but regarded as good eating.

Literature : Garman ;1913); Whitley (1940); Stead (1963); Marshall (1964); Gubanov & Schleib (1980); Whitley & Pollard (1980).

Remarks : Müller & Henle listed "Scyllium punctatum Kuhl & van Hasselt" under their Chiloscyllium punctatum, but I was unable to examine Kuhl and van Hasselt's (or van Hasselt's) account of their species and so could not determine if Scyllium punctatum as proposed by them was a valid species and not a nomen nudum. As a present expedient I list Müller & Henle's account as the first valid description of this species. Fowler (1967, Catalog of World Fishes Part VI:103) termed this species Chiloscyllium russellianum, because the Squalus (Scyliorhinus) russellianus of Blainville (1816) was "assumed as based on Bokee sorah Russell, F. of Coromandel I 1803, 10 pl. 16. Vizagapatam, India" (Fowler, 1967a). However, Fowler 1941 had earlier hesitated to replace the well-used C. punctatum with Blainville's nomen nudum (even if Blainville's use of the name russellianus indicated a possibly recognizable species), which is followed here.

Hemiscyllium Müller & Henle, 1837 HEMIS Hemis

Genus : Hemiscyllium Müller & Henle, in Smith, 1837, Proc.Zool.Soc.Lond., 5:86 (name and species); also Müller & Henle, 1838, Ann.Mag.Nat.Hist., 2:34 (definition). '

Type Species: Squalus ocellatus Bloch & Schneider, 1801, by monotypy, equals S. ocellatus Bonnaterre, 1788 - 196 -

Synonymy : None.

Diagnostic Features : Snout relatively short, nostrils virtually terminal on snout tip; eyes and supraorbital ridges well elevated; mouth slightly closer snout tip than eyes; lower labial folds not connected across chin by a dermal fold. Pectoral and pelvic fins thick and heavily muscular. Colour: either a black hood on head or large dark spot or spots on sides of body above pectoral fins..

Remarks : The arrangement of this genus follows Fowler (1941) and Whitley (1940, 1967).

Key to Species

1a. Head and snout with an abrupt black hood. Body with conspicuous large white spots .…...... H. strahani

1b. Head and snout light, without a black hood but with conspicuous black spots above pectoral fins. Body with light spots inconspicuous or absent

2a. Black spot behind gills small, not in the form of a conspicuous ocellus .……...... H. freycineti

2b. Black spot behind gills large, in the form of a conspicuous ocellus, ringed with white

3a. Body covered with numerous, densely clustered dark small and large spots that form a reticular network of light ground colour between them. Dark crossbands strong on ventral surface of tail ...... ………………...... H. trispeculare

3b. Body with sparse, large dark spots that do not form a reticular network of light ground colour between them. Dark crossbands not reaching ventral surface of tail

4a. Lateral ocellus not surrounded by large black spots. Spots present on head in front and below eyes ...... ……...... H. ocellatum 4b. Lateral ocellus surrounded by large black spots. Spots absent from head in front and below eyes ...... ……...... H. hallstromi

Hemiscyllium freycineti (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) HEMIS Hemis 1

Scyllium freycineti Quoy & Gaimard, 1824, Voy.aut.Monde corvettes S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne, 1817- 20, Zool.:192. Syntypes: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, MNHN A. 7792, two, 250 and 300 mm. Type Locality: Waigiu (Waigeo), Indonesia.

Synonymy : Scyllium malaisianus Lesson, 1824; Chiloscyllium malaianum Müller & Henle, 1839.

FAO Names : En - Indonesian speckled carpetshark; Fr - Requin-chabot grivelé; Sp - Bamboa jaspeada.

Field Marks : Mouth well in front of eyes, spineless dorsal fins far posterior on tail, extremely elongated thick precaudal tail, long and low anal fin just anterior to caudal fin, dark wide-spaced spots, a moderately large black spot on flanks above pectoral fins, no black hood.

Diagnostic Features : Body somewhat stouter and snout less swollen and greatly elongated than in H. ocellatum. Colour pattern of scattered large and small dark spots, not close-set and not forming a light reticular pattern with the background colour; head without a dark hood, flanks above pectoral fins with a moderately large black spot, not formed into a conspicuous acellus; no large white spots on sides; no dark crossbands on ventral surface of tail. - 197 -

Geographical Distribution : Western South Pacific: Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Waigeo), Papua New Guinea.

Habitat and Biology : A little-known bottom shark, probably common on coral reefs.

Size : To at least 46 cm total length.

Interest to Fisheries: None at present.

Literature : Garman (1913); Fowler (1941).

HEMIS Hemis 2 Hemiscyllium hallstromi Whitley, 1967

Hemiscyllium hallstromi Whitley, 1967, Aust.Zool., 14(2):178. Holotype: Australian Museum, Sydney. Type Locality: New Guinea

Synonymy : None.

FAO Names : En - Papuan epaulette shark; Fr - Requin-chabot épaulette; Sp - Bamboa hombrera.

Field Marks : Mouth well in front of eyes, spineless dorsal fins far posterior on tail, extremely elongated thick precaudal tail, long and low anal fin just anterior to caudal fin, dark wide-spaced spots, a conspicuous white- ringed black ocellar spot on flanks above pectoral fins, surrounded by smaller black spots, no black hood.

Diagnostic Features : Colour pattern of scattered large and small dark spots, not close-set and not forming a light reticular pattern with the back ground colour; head without a dark hood, flanks above pectoral fins with a large black spot, ringed with white in the form of a conspicuous ocellus and with a number of surrounding smaller black spots; no large white spots on sides; no dark crossbands on ventral surface of tail.

Geographical Distribution : Western South Pacific: Papua New Guinea, Indonesia (Irian Jaya).

Habitat and Biology : A little-known inshore bottom shark, probably on coral reefs.

Size : To at least 75 cm total length.

Interest to Fisheries : None at present.

Literature : Whitley (1967).

HEMIS Hemis 3 Hemiscyllium ocellatum (Bonnaterre, 1788)

Squalus ocellatus Bonnaterre, 1788, Tabl.encyclop. méthod.trois reg.nat., Ichthyol., Paris, 8. Holotype: Musdum National d'Histoire Naturelle, MNHN 1003, 355 mm male. Type Locality: "La mer du sud".

Synonymy : Squalus oculatus Gray, 1826 - 198 -

FAO Names : En - Epaulette shark; Fr - Requin-chabot ocellé; Sp - Bamboa ocelada.

Field Marks : Mouth well in front of eyes, spineless dorsal fins far posterior on tail, extremely elongated thick precaudal tail, long and low anal fin just anterior to caudal fin, dark wide-spaced spots, a conspicuous large black ocellus; without surrounding black spots, on flanks above pectoral fins, no black hood.

Diagnostic Features: Body slenderer and snout more swollen and elongated than in other species. Colour pattern of scattered large dark spots, not close-set and not forming a light reticular pattern with the background colour; head without a dark hood, flanks above pectoral fins with a very large black spot, ringed with white in the form of a conspicuous ocellus but without surrounding large dark spots; no large white spots on sides; no dark crossbands on ventral surface of tail.

Geographical Distribution : Western South Pacific: New Guinea, Australia (Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland, ? New South Wales). Possibly also Malaysia and Sumatra (according to Stead, 1963).

Habitat and Biology : An abundant, small, harmless tropical shark found on coral reefs in shallow water, often in tidepools. Particularly common on the Great Barrier Reef, where it can be seen crawling and clambering about on the bottom. When captured the epaulette shark squirms fitfully but cannot readily escape. Oviparous. Harmless to people.

Size : Maximum total length about 107 cm.

Interest to Fisheries: None at present.

Literature : Garman (1913); Whitley (1940); Fowler (1941); Stead (1963); Marshall (1964); Whitley & Pollard (1980).

Hemiscyllium strahani Whitley, 1967 HEMIS Hemis 4

Hemiscyllium strahani Whitley, 1967, Aust.Zool., 14(2):176, fig. 1. Holotype: Australian Museum, Sydney? Type Locality: New Guinea.

Synonymy : None.

FAO Names : En - Hooded carpetshark; Fr - Requin-chabot moine; Sp - Bamboa capuchona.

Field Marks: Unique black hood on head, also, mouth well in front of eyes, spineless dorsal fins far posterior on tail, extremely elongated thick precaudal tail, long and low anal fin just anterior to caudal fin, white spots on body.

Diagnostic Features: Body stouter, and snout less swollen and elongated than H. ocellatum. Colour pattern with a unique black 'executioner's hood' on head, and scattered large white spots on body, also some small dark spots but no conspicuous ocellus on shoulder region; no dark crossbands on ventral surface of tail. - 199 -

Geographical Distribution : Western South Pacific: Papua New Guinea, Indonesia (Irian Jaya).

Habitat and Biology : A little-known inshore bottom shark of singular and unique appearance, probably on coral reefs.

Size : To about 75 cm total length.

Interest to Fisheries : None at present.

Literature : Whitley (1967).

Richardson, 1843 Hemiscyllium trispeculare HEMIS Hemis 5

Hemiscylliurn trispeculare Richardson, 1843, Icones Piscium, Pl. Rare Fish:5, pl. 1, fig. 2. Holotype: British Museum, Natural History, 580 mm adult male. Type Locality: Turtle Island, northwestern Australia.

Synonymy: None.

FAO Names : En - Speckled carpetshark; Fr - Requin-chabot marquéterie; Sp - Bamboa moteada.

Field Marks : Mouth well in front of eyes, spineless dorsal fins far posterior on tail, extremely elongated thick precaudal tail, long and tow anal fin just anterior to caudal fin, numerous dark close-set spots forming a reticular pattern, a conspicuous white-ringed large black ocellus on flanks above pectoral fins, partly surrounded by smaller black spots, no black hood.

Diagnostic Features : Body stouter and snout less swollen and elongated than H. ocellatum. Colour pattern of densely clustered large and small dark spots, forming a light reticular pattern with the background colour; head without a dark hood, flanks above pectoral fins with a large black spot, rimmed with white in the form of a conspicuous ocellus; ocellus partly rimmed posteriorly by a few large black spots; no large white spots on sides; colour pattern of sides of tail continued onto ventral surface in the form of dark crossbands.

Geographical Distribution : Western South Pacific: ? Indonesia (Moluccas), Australia (northern and Western Australia, Queensland).

Habitat and Biology : A common, small, harmless tropical continental shelf shark that is found on coral reefs in shallow water.

Size : Adult males 57 to 64 cm total length, appparently a smaller species than H. ocellatum.

Interest to Fisheries: None at present.

Literature : Garman (1913); Fowler (1941); Stead (1963); Whitley & Pollard (1980). - 200 -

7.5 FAMILY STEGOSTOMATIDAE Gill, 1862 STEG

Subfamily Stegostomatinae Gill, 1862 (Family Scylliorhinoidae), Ann.Lyceum Nat.Hist.N.Y., 7(32):407-8.

Synonymy : None.

FAO Names : En - Zebra sharks; Fr - Requins zèbres; Sp - Tiburones acebrados.

Diagnostic Features : Body cylindrical, with prominent ridges on sides. Head broad conical, and somewhat flattened, without lateral flaps of skin, snout very broadly rounded or truncated; eyes laterally situated on head, without subocular pockets; spiracles subequal in size to eyes but not below them; gill slits small, fifth overlapping fourth; internal gill slits without filter screens; nostrils with short pointed barbels but without circumnarial folds and grooves; mouth moderately large, subterminal on head, and transverse, without a symphyseal groove on chin; teeth not strongly differentiated in jaws, with a medial cusp, lateral cusplets and weak labial root lobes; 28 to 33/22 to 32. Caudal peduncle without lateral keels or precaudal pits. First dorsal larger than second, with origin expanded well ahead of pelvic origins and insertion about over the pelvic bases; pectoral fins rather large, broad and rounded, much larger than pelvic fins, with fin radials partly into fin web but falling well short of its distal edge; pelvic fins smaller than first dorsal but larger than second dorsal and as large or larger than anal fin; anal fin larger than second dorsal, with its origin about opposite second dorsal midbase or insertion; anal fin with broad base and angular apex, separated by a space or narrow notch much less than base length from lower caudal origin; caudal fin with its upper lobe at a low angle above the body axis, about half as long as the entire shark, with a strong terminal lobe and subterminal notch but no ventral lobe. Supraorbital crests present on cranium, these laterally expanded. Valvular intestine of ring type. Colour pattern of dark saddles in young, changing to dark spots in adults.

Interest to Fisheries : See the account of the single species.

Remarks : This family is recognized following the work of Applegate (1974) and Compagno (1973c).

Stegostoma Müller & Hanle, 1837 STEG Steg

Genus: Stegostoma Müller & Henle, 1837, Ber.K.Preuss.Akad.Wiss.Berl., 2:112.

Type Species: Squalus fasciatus Bloch & Schneider, 1801, by original designation, equals Squalus fasciatus Hermann, 1783.

Synonymy : Stegostonea Regan, 1929 (error).

Stegostoma fasciatum (Hermann, 1783) STEG Steg 1

Squalus fasciatus Hermann, 1783, Tabl.Aff., 302 (based on Squalus varius Seba, 1758 or 1761). Holotype: None. Type Locality: Uncertain, probably Indonesia.

Synonymy : Squalus varius Seba, 1758 (see remarks below); ? Squalus tigrinus Pennant, 1764 (nomen nudum)., Squalus tygrinus Bonnaterre, 1788 and Squalus tigrinus Gmelin, 1789; Squalus longicaudus Gmelin, 1789; ? Squalus waddi Bloch & Schneider, 1801; Scyllium quinquecarinatum van Hosselt, 1823; Scyllium heptagonum Rüppell, 1837; Stegostoma carinatum Blyth, 1847; Squalus pantherinus Kuhl & van Hasselt, in Bleeker, 1852 (name only); Squalus cirrosus Gonow, in Gray, 1854; Stegostoma varium Garman, 1913; Stegostoma tigrinum naucum Whitley, 1939.

Other Scientific Names Recently in Use : Stegostoma tigrinum (Gmelin, 1789). - 201 -

FAO Names : En - Zebra shark; Fr - Requin zèbre; Sp - Tiburón acebrado.

adult

juvenile

underside of head tooth

Field Marks : Unique large sharks that combine a broad, low caudal fin about as long as the rest of the shark with nasoral grooves, barbels, a small transverse mouth in front of the lateral eyes, two spineless dorsal fins and an anal fin, the first dorsal much larger than the second and with its origin far foward on back, prominent ridges on the sides of the body, but no strong lateral keels on the caudal peduncle, and a banded or spotted colour pattern. Young sharks are dark brown above, yellowish below, with vertical yellow stripes and spots breaking the dorsal coloration into dark saddles; between 50 and 90 cm length the saddles break up into small brown spots on a yellow background, these becoming less linear and more uniformly distributed with further increase in size. There is considerable variation in the colour pattern between individuals of like size. An albino specimen was once collected.

Diagnostic Features: See family.

Geographical Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: From South Africa and Red Sea to Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Viet Nam, Kampuchea, the Philippines, China, Japan, Australia (Western and Northern Australia, New South Wales), New Caledonia, Palau.

Habitat and Biology : This is a tropical inshore shark, of the continental and insular shelves of the Indo-West Pacific, that is very common on coral reefs. Its behaviour is little known, but it has been photographed resting on sandy areas within reefs, propped up on its pectoral fins and facing a current with open mouth. It apparently is rather sluggish, at least during the daytime, and may be more active at night like nurse sharks (Ginglymostomatidae). Because of its rather slender, flexible body and caudal fin it is able to squirm into narrow cracks, crevices and channel in reefs while searching for food. In captivity, it spends most of its time resting on the bottom (at least during the day), but becomes active when food is introduced into its tank.

Oviparous, laying eggs in large (17 cm long, 8 cm wide and about 5 cm thick), dark brown or purplish-black cases with fine lateral tufts of hairlike fibers, which serve to anchor the cases to the substrate. Probably lays more than one or two eggs at once, as four fully formed, encased eggs were found in one oviduct of an adult female.

Feeds primarily on molluscs (gastropods and bivalves) but also crustaceans (crabs and shrimps) and small bony fishes.

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