Author: Gill, 1896
Field Marks:
These are distinctive flattened, variegated sharks, differing from all others in having narrow dermal flaps along the side of the head (except angel sharks, Squatinidae, which differ from wobbegongs in lacking anal fins); they also have long barbels, short, nearly terminal mouths in front of the eyes, nasoral grooves and perinasal grooves and flaps, symphyseal grooves, large spiracless and dorsolateral eyes.
Diagnostic Features:
Body considerably depressed, without ridges on sides. Head very broad and flattened, with unique lateral flaps of skin, snout truncated; eyes dorsolaterally situated on head, with subocular pockets; spiracles very large, larger than eyes and somewhat below and lateral to them; gill slits small, fifth well separated from fourth or close to it but not overlapping; internal gill slits without filter screens; nostrils with long, pointed or branched barbels and distinct circumnarial folds and grooves around outer edges of incurrent apertures; mouth fairly large, nearly terminal on head, and nearly transverse, with a symphyseal groove on chin; teeth strongly differentiated in jaws, with three rows of fanglike teeth at the upper symphysis and two rows at the lower; teeth with a medial cusp, lateral cusplets variably present or absent, and weak labial root lobes; tooth rows 23 to 26/19. Dorsal fins equal-sized, first dorsal with origin over or slightly behind the pelvic insertions and insertion far behind the pelvic rear tips; pectoral fins moderate-sized or large, broad and rounded, slightly larger than pelvic fins, with fin radials not expanded into fin web; pelvic fins larger than dorsals and anal fin; anal fin somewhat smaller than second dorsal, with its origin about opposite rear third of second dorsal base or insertion; anal fin with broad base and subangular apex, separated by a narrow notch much less than base length from lower caudal origin; caudal fin with its upper lobe hardly elevated above the body axis, less than a fourth as long as the entire shark, with a strong terminal lobe and subterminal notch but no ventral lobe. Caudal peduncle without lateral keels or precaudal pits. Supraorbital crests present on cranium, not laterally expanded. Valvular intestine of ring type. Colour pattern highly developed, including dark and light spots, dark saddles, rings, and reticulations on back.
Habitat, Distribution and Biology:
These are common, largish flattened bottom sharks of warmtemperate to tropical continental waters of the western Pacific, occurring from the intertidal down to at least 110 m. They are most diverse in Australian and New Guinean waters, but occur northward to Japan. They are often found on rocky and coral reefs or on sandy bottom, where they lurk and are concealed in part by their cryptic coloration and dermal lobes on their heads They are reportedly sluggish fishes, moving little, but can clamber around with their paired fins on the bottom and even climb partway out of the water while moving between tidepools. At least two species may attain a size of 3.2 to 3.7 m. These sharks are ovoviviparous, with large litters of 20 or more young. Wobbegongs are powerful bottom predators with heavy jaws and greatly enlarged, dagger-shaped, extremely sharp fanglike teeth in the front of their mouths. They feed on bottom fishes, crabs, lobsters, octopi, and other bottom animals. Wobbegongs can be dangerous when captured, provoked or stepped upon, and have inflicted severe lacerations on the limbs of people. There are even rare records of large wobbegongs attacking people and biting off their feet or killing them. Wobbegongs are often difficult to see against the bottom and can be contacted accidentally. These sharks should be treated with care because of their formidable dentition, even though they do not appear to be particularly aggressive unless provoked.
Interest to Fisheries:
Wobbegongs are utilized for food in western Australia and off China, Japan, and probably elsewhere where they occur; their colorful skins are sometimes used for leather.
Remarks:
The arrangement of this family is modified from Ogilby and McCulloch (1908), Regan (1908, 1909), Garman (1913), Whitley (1940) and Fowler (1941).