Author: Regan, 1908
Diagnostic Features:
Head and body very broad, without enlarged tubercles on body, except for those above eyes. Trunk width across pectoral insertions about equal to head length; precaudal tail rather short, distance from pelvic insertion to lower caudal origin about equal to head length. Head width slightly greater than its length from snout tip to fifth gill openings; chin with a bushy beard of highly branched dermal lobes; dermal lobes of sides and front of head highly branched and numerous, forming a virtually continuous fringe from snout tip to pectoral bases; nasal barbels branched, with complex multiple lobes. Dorsal fins high and short, height of first about equal to its base length, length of first dorsal base less than pelvic length from origin to free rear tip; origin of first dorsal fin opposite posterior fourth of pelvic bases; interspace between first and second dorsal fins longer than first dorsal inner margin and slightly more than half first dorsal base; pectoral and pelvic fins very large, distance from pectoral insertions to pelvic origins about equal to pectoral bases and less than pelvic bases from origins to free rear tips. Colour: dorsal surface with a reticular pattern of narrow dark lines on a light background, with scattered symmetrical enlarged dark dots at the junction of lines.
Remarks:
This genus was originally proposed by Regan (1908) to separate Crossorhinus dasypogon from other wobbegongs primarily because of its supposedly even-spaced gill slits, but he also mentioned that the genus differed from Orectolobus by having a broader, more depressed head, smaller eyes, and wider spiracles. However, Regan (1909) reversed himself and rejected the genus because his new, similar Orectolobus ogilbyi had the last two gill slits close together.
Ogilby and McCulloch (1908), Fowler (1941), and Stead (1963) did not recognize the genus but Garman (1913), Whitley (1940), Bigelow and Schroeder (1948), Garrick and Schultz (1963), Compagno (1973c), and Applegate (1974) all retained Eucrossorhinus as a genus. Examination of material convinces me that this genus is well-distinguished from other wobbegongs (as is indicated in the section on Diagnostic Features).