Author: Whitley, 1967
Field Marks:
Mouth well in front of eyes, spineless dorsal fins far posterior on tail, extremely elongated thick precaudal tail, long and low anal fin just anterior to caudal fin, dark wide-spaced spots, a conspicuous whiteringed black ocellar spot on flanks above pectoral fins, surrounded by smaller black spots, no black hood.
Diagnostic Features:
Colour pattern of scattered large and small dark spots, not close-set and not forming a light reticular pattern with the back ground colour; head without a dark hood, flanks above pectoral fins with a large black spot, ringed with white in the form of a conspicuous ocellus and with a number of surrounding smaller black spots; no large white spots on sides; no dark crossbands on ventral surface of tail.
Geographical Distribution:
Western South Pacific: Papua New Guinea, Indonesia (Irian Jaya).
Habitat and Biology:
A little-known inshore bottom shark, probably on coral reefs.
Size:
To at least 75 cm total length.
Interest to Fisheries:
None at present.
Type material:
Holotype: Australian Museum, Sydney. Type Locality: New Guinea.