Arabian carpetshark

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Arabian carpetshark

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Subdivision: Selachimorpha
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Hemiscylliidae
Genus: Chiloscyllium
Species:
C. arabicum
Binomial name
Chiloscyllium arabicum
Gubanov, 1980
Range of the Arabian carpetshark
Synonyms

Chiloscyllium confusum Dingerkus & DeFino, 1983

The Arabian carpetshark (Chiloscyllium arabicum) is a

habitat degradation within its range. It does well in aquariums
and has been bred in captivity.

Taxonomy

Prior to being described as a new species in Gubanov and Schleib's 1980 Sharks of the Arabian Gulf, the Arabian carpetshark was misreported as the

type specimens are known.[3] Other common names for this species include Arabian bamboo shark and confusing bamboo shark.[4]

Distribution and habitat

The Arabian carpetshark inhabits coastal waters 3–100 m (9.8–328.1 ft) deep, though most are found shallower than 10 m (33 ft).

estuaries.[1][3]

Description

The Arabian carpetshark has a long tail and is uniformly brown in color.

The Arabian carpetshark has a slender, nearly cylindrical body and a relatively long, thick, rounded snout. The nostrils are set a good distance from the snout tip and preceded by a pair of short barbels. The eyes are medium-sized and placed high on the head, each with a low ridge above and a large spiracle behind and below. The small mouth lies well forward of the eyes; there is a continuous fold of skin across the chin that wraps around the corners of the mouth. There are 26–35 upper tooth rows and 21–32 lower tooth rows. The teeth have a large central cusp and a pair of lateral cusplets. The five pairs of gill slits are short, with the fourth and fifth pairs very close together.[2][3]

The

caudal fin is low and lacks a lower lobe; the upper lobe has a strong ventral notch near the tip. Adults are a plain tan color above and white below, sometimes with an orange tint on the fin margins; juveniles have faint lighter spots on the fins.[2][3] This species reaches a maximum known length of 78 cm (31 in).[5]

Biology and ecology

Commonly found sheltering inside caves and crevices, the Arabian carpetshark is a

oviparous like other members of its family, with a six-month breeding season. The reproductive cycle has been documented in captivity: copulation involves the male holding onto one of the female's pectoral fins with his mouth, while inserting a single clasper into her cloaca for 5–15 minutes. When competing for mates, male sharks have been known to bite the claspers of rival males.[5] Females produce an average of 33 egg capsules per year in batches of four, that are laid over a period of 20 minutes to two days. Of those eggs, about 7% are infertile.[5][6] The egg cases have adhesive tendrils for securing them to coral, and hatch in 70–80 days at a temperature of 24 °C (75 °F).[5][7] Newly emerged young measure under 10 cm (3.9 in) long; sexual maturity is attained at a length of 45–54 cm (18–21 in).[3]

Human interactions

Small and harmless to humans, the Arabian carpetshark is one of the few shark species suitable for

Near Threatened.[1][4]

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T161426A109902537.en
    . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^
    ISBN 0-8248-1808-3
  3. ^
    ISBN 92-5-104543-7
    .
  4. ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2010). "Chiloscyllium arabicum" in FishBase. January 2010 version.
  5. ^
    ISBN 0-930118-18-9
    .
  6. ^ Harahush, B.K., A.B.P. Fischer and S.P. Collin (October 2007). "Captive breeding and embryonic development of Chiloscyllium punctatum Muller & Henle, 1838 (Elasmobranchii: Hemiscyllidae)". Journal of Fish Biology 71 (4): 1007–1022.
  7. ^ a b Michael, S.W. "Sharks at Home". Aquarium Fish Magazine March 2004: pp. 20–29.
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