• About the Museum
• What's on
• Visiting the Australian Museum

ANIMAL SPECIES:Leopard Shark, Stegostoma fasciatum (Hermann, 1783)

Alternative Names/s

Identification

The Leopard Shark has large pectoral fins, two close-set, spineless dorsal fins and a very long caudal fin that lacks a ventral lobe.

It is a slow-moving species that has 5 gill slits (slits 4 and 5 overlap) and strong ridges along the upper sides.

It is usually yellow-brown in colour with a covering of dark brown spots. Individuals less than 70 cm in length are brown with narrow yellow to white bars and blotches.

Size range

Distribution

It is found in coastal waters throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific.

In Australia it is recorded from the western coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to the central coast of New South Wales.

Habitat

The Leopard Shark is often seen on sandy bottoms.

Behaviour and adaptations

Feeding and Diet

The Leopard Shark feeds primarily on gastropod and bivalve molluscs with lesser amounts of crabs, shrimps and small fishes.

Mating and reproduction

The species is oviparous, laying large (17cm in length), dark coloured egg cases that have tufts of hair-like fibres which serve to anchor them to the bottom.

Classification

References

1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
3. Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 4, Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 1 - Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes: viii, 1-250.
4. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
5. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
6. Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 1994 Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.
7. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

Last Updated: 24 July 2009

2 comments

STAFF

Mark McGrouther
11.07 AM, 24 July 2009

Hi Kieren, Thank you very much for uploading the movie. It's great footage. I particularly enjoyed watching the Slender Suckerfish attached to another Slender Suckerfish!

• Permalink

Divearound
10.07 AM, 24 July 2009

Leopard Shark filmed at Byron Bay by the Dive Around Team.

Comment Attachment

• Permalink

Report misuse

Would you like to add a comment?

Sign up to add comments and find out more about the other benefits you can enjoy.

Forgotten your password?

Tags

Author tags

• fish
• ichthyology
• Leopard Shark
• Stegostoma fasciatum
• sandy bottom

Would you like to add a tag?

Sign up to add tags and find out more about the other benefits you can enjoy.

Forgotten your password?

what's on

What's on calendar

Support us

Help us continue to provide quality research, education, community programs and exhibitions.

Online Shop

Featuring a selection of products relating to the collections.

Australian Museum Members

Join today to come to the Museum for free and enjoy many other benefits.

AMBS

Australian Museum Business Services - Ecological, archaeological and heritage consulting.

Museum as a Venue

We have many unique venues ideal for dinner, cocktails, weddings and conferences.