Animal Species:Banded Carpet Shark, Orectolobus halei Whitley, 1940

The Banded Carpet Shark is a distinctively coloured species.  It has dark corrugated saddles that are bordered by rows of small dark spots.

Banded Carpet Shark, Orectolobus halei

Banded Carpet Shark, Orectolobus halei
Charlie Huveneers © Australian Museum

Alternative Name/s

Gulf Wobbegong

Identification

The species has several branched dermal lobes on the head margin.  There are two tubercles above the eyes and a white spot behind both spiracles.

Orectolobus halei was originally described in 1940 by the Australian Museum's fish curator Gilbert Whitley, as a subspecies (Orectolobus ornatus halei). Charlie Huveneers' paper redescribed the species and elevated it to full species status.

Size range

It grows to over 2 m in length.

Distribution

Temperate and some subtropical waters from southern Queensland to the central coast of Western Australia.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Orectolobus halei

Classification

Species:
halei
Genus:
Orectolobus
Family:
Orectolobidae
Order:
Orectolobiformes
Class:
Chondrichthyes
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  2. Huveneers, C. 2006. Redescription of two species of wobbegongs (Chondrichthys: Orectolobidae) with elevation of Orectolbus halei Whitley 1940 to species level. Zootaxa. 1284: 29-51.
  3. Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Edition 2. CSIRO. Pp. 644, Pl. 1-91.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Orectolobus halei, Banded Carpet Shark, Orectolobidae, fishes, ichthyology,