Draughtsboard shark

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Draughtsboard shark
Carpetshark.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Superorder: Selachimorpha
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Scyliorhinidae
Genus: Cephaloscyllium
Species:
C. isabellum
Binomial name
Cephaloscyllium isabellum
(Bonnaterre, 1788)
Cephaloscyllium isabellum distmap.png
Range of the draughtsboard shark
Synonyms
  • Scyllium limaRichardson, 1843
  • Squalus isabellaBonnaterre, 1788
  • Squalus isabellaGmelin, 1789

The draughtsboard shark (Cephaloscyllium isabellum) is a species of catshark, and part of the family Scyliorhinidae, so named for its "checkerboard" color pattern of dark blotches. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is also known as the carpet shark (which usually refers to the entire order Orectolobiformes). [2] This shark typically reaches 1 m (3.3 ft) in length and has a thick body with a broad, flattened head and a capacious mouth. Its two dorsal fins are placed far back on the body, with the first much larger than the second.

Contents

Occurring down to a depth of 673 m (2,208 ft), the draughtsboard shark frequents rocky reefs during the day and sandy flats at night. Its diet consists of fishes and invertebrates. When threatened by a predator, it can take water or air into its body to inflate its body, which may be the cause of its unusual habit of barking like a dog. This species is oviparous, with females laying smooth, tendril-bearing egg capsules in pairs. Draughtsboard sharks are often taken as bycatch by commercial fisheries, but are probably hardy enough to survive the experience. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed this species under Least Concern.

Taxonomy

French naturalist Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre originally described the draughtsboard shark as Squalus isabella, in the 1788 ichthyology volume of the Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique des trois règnes de la nature . He based his account on "L'Isabelle", referred to by Pierre-Marie-Auguste Broussonet in a 1780 Histoire de l'Académie Royale des Sciences paper. The type specimen has since been lost. Later authors moved this species to the genus Cephaloscyllium . [3]

The draughtsboard shark closely resembles the blotchy swellshark (C. umbratile) and the Australian swellshark (C. laticeps), both of which have been suspected to be the same species as C. isabellum by different authors at various times. The draughtsboard shark differs from the Australian swellshark in coloration and the form of its egg capsules (smooth in C. isabellum and ridged in C. laticeps). [4] It differs from the blotchy swellshark in coloration and morphometric measurements. [5]

Distribution and habitat

The draughtsboard shark is found only in the coastal waters around New Zealand, including the Snares, the Chatham Islands, and Stewart Island, where it is particularly common. It typically occurs at depths of 0 to 400 m (0 to 1,312 ft) on continental and insular shelves, though it has been recorded from as far down as 673 m (2,208 ft). This shark is a bottom-dweller that favors rocky reefs and adjacent areas of soft substrate. Adult males and females segregate from each other. [1] [6]

Description

Most draughtsboard sharks measure no more than 1 m (3.3 ft) long, though rarely an individual may reach 1.5 m (4.9 ft); a recorded maximum size of 2.4 m (7.9 ft) was probably based on the broadnose sevengill shark (Notorynchus cepedianus) or some other species. Females grow larger than males. [1] [4] This shark has a stocky, spindle-shaped body that tapers to a relatively thin caudal peduncle. The head is short, broad, and somewhat flattened, with a broadly rounded snout. The nostrils have a triangular flap of skin in front, that do not reach the mouth. The oval eyes have rudimentary nictitating eyelids and are placed somewhat on top of the head; they have thick ridges above and below, and are followed by spiracles. The mouth is very large and curved, without furrows at the corners and with the upper teeth exposed when closed. [4]

The pectoral fins are fairly large and broad. The two dorsal fins are placed far back on the body, with the first originating about over the middle of the pelvic fin bases and the second originating over the anal fin. The second dorsal fin is much smaller than the first, and also smaller than the anal fin. Males have short and thick claspers. The caudal fin is short and broad, with a barely developed lower lobe and a strong ventral notch near the tip of the upper lobe. The skin is thick and covered by well-calcified dermal denticles. The coloration of the draughtsboard shark gives it its common name: it is golden to brown above and light below, with up to 11 dark brown, irregular dorsal "saddles" that alternate with blotches on its flanks to form a checkerboard pattern. [4] [6] Also distinctive is the saddle between its spiracles, which is stretched out and swept back on each side to form a bar over the gill slits. [7]

Biology and ecology

During the day, the draughtsboard shark is lethargic and typically hides inside crevices or caves on the reef. [4] [6] At night, it emerges to forage for food over nearby sandy flats. This shark consumes a wide variety of fishes and invertebrates, including spiny dogfish, cod, sand perch, blennies, octopus, squid, gastropods, innkeeper worms, krill, hermit crabs, crabs, spiny lobsters, and even sea squirts. Individuals have been observed sucking innkeeper worms out of their burrows, and swimming around with the antennae of large lobsters sticking out of their mouths for hours. [6] A known parasite of this species is the tapeworm Calyptrobothrium chalarosomum. [8]

Like other Cephaloscyllium species, the draughtsboard shark has the ability to inflate its body dramatically in response to a predator; this defense mechanism may be behind reports of this species barking like a large dog. [9] While it usually inflates with water, when captured by humans and brought to the surface it may inflate with air instead. When the shark deflates, the "bark" is produced by the pressurized air as it is released explosively through the cardiac sphincter of the stomach. [9] This species is oviparous, with females laying two eggs at a time. The smooth, cream-colored egg cases measure 12 cm (4.7 in) long, and have long, spiral tendrils at the corners that allow them to be fastened to underwater objects. [1] [9] Newly hatched sharks measure 16 cm (6.3 in) long; males and females mature sexually at 60 cm (24 in) and 80 cm (31 in) long respectively. [5]

Human interactions

Draughtsboard shark at the Shedd Aquarium Draughtsboard Shark at the Shedd Aquarium.jpg
Draughtsboard shark at the Shedd Aquarium

Common and harmless, draughtsboard sharks are often caught incidentally by trawl, rock lobster, and probably set net fisheries. It is likely that most captured sharks survive to be returned to the water alive, as this species can tolerate being out of water for an extended period of time. From 1988 to 1991, there was a New Zealand shark liver fishery and reported catches of draughtsboard sharks were 74–540 tons per year. After the fishery was discontinued, catches dropped to under five tons per year.

Conservation status

The New Zealand Department of Conservation has classified the draughtsboard shark as "Not Threatened" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. [10] Because its population seems healthy and free from significant threats, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed this species as of Least Concern. [1]

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Natal shyshark Species of shark

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The narrowbar swellshark is a rare species of catshark, and part of the family Scyliorhinidae, known only from two specimens collected near Flinders Reef off northeastern Australia. This species reaches at least 44.5 cm (17.5 in) in length, and has a stocky body with a short, broad head. It can be readily identified by its zebra-like dorsal color pattern of transverse brown bars on a yellowish background. Like other swellsharks, it can inflate its body as a defensive measure.

The speckled swellshark is a little-known species of catshark, and part of the family Scyliorhinidae, endemic to the waters off northwestern Australia. It occurs on the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope, at a depth of 150–455 m (492–1,493 ft). This species grows to 69 cm (27 in) long and has a stocky body and a short, broad, flattened head. As its common name suggests, its color pattern consists of many dark spots and white-spotted dark saddles and blotches on a light gray background. The juveniles are yellow with dark spots and lines, and a distinctive eyespot-like mark behind each eye. Like other swellsharks, this species can inflate itself as a defensive measure.

The Cook's swellshark is a little-known species of catshark, belonging to the family Scyliorhinidae. This shark is found in the Arafura Sea at a depth of 223–300 m (732–984 ft). It is a stocky-bodied shark with a short, broad head and a large mouth, and can be identified by the eight dark, pale-edged saddles along its grayish brown body and tail. The maximum known length of this species is 30 cm (12 in). Like other swellsharks, it can inflate itself with water or air when threatened.

Australian reticulate swellshark Species of shark

The Australian reticulate swellshark is a little-known species of catshark in the family Scyliorhinidae. It is found off the coast of northwestern Australia at depths of 290–420 m (950–1,380 ft). This shark has a stocky body and a short, wide head with a capacious mouth. It is characterized by a striking dorsal color pattern of dark brown lines that trace a series of hollow saddles and narrow rings, on a light background. Like other swellsharks, this species can inflate itself when threatened. Its reproduction is oviparous.

The painted swellshark is a little-known species of catshark, belonging to the family Scyliorhinidae, found in eastern Indonesia. This species reaches a maximum known length of 72 cm (28 in), and has a thick body with a short, broad and flattened head. It is dark gray with a variegated pattern of irregular darker and lighter blotches above, and lighter below with gray blotches and speckling on the snout. Like other swellsharks, it can inflate itself as a defensive measure.

The flagtail swellshark is a little-known species of catshark, belonging to the family Scyliorhinidae, found at a depth of 480–700 m (1,570–2,300 ft) off northeastern Queensland, and possibly also nearby islands. This stout-bodied shark has a short, broad, and flattened head with a capacious mouth. Adults have a variegated brown coloration with 9–10 darker dorsal saddles and "V"-shaped blotch at the tip of the upper caudal fin lobe. Juveniles are yellow with narrow brown bars instead of saddles, and a distinctive marking between the spiracles shaped like two loops connected by a line. Like other swellsharks, this species can inflate its body when threatened.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Finucci, B.; Kyne, P.M. (2018). "Cephaloscyllium isabellum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T41752A116736703. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T41752A116736703.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2010). "Cephaloscyllium isabellum" in FishBase. February 2010 version.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, W.N. and R. Fricke (eds.) Catalog of Fishes electronic version (15 January 2010) Archived 24 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Compagno, L.J.V. (1984). Sharks of the World: An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Shark Species Known to Date. Rome: Food and Agricultural Organization. pp. 298–299. ISBN   92-5-101384-5.
  5. 1 2 Compagno, L.J.V., M. Dando and S. Fowler (2005). Sharks of the World. Princeton University Press. pp. 216–217. ISBN   978-0-691-12072-0.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Michael, S.W. (1993). Reef Sharks & Rays of the World. Sea Challengers. p. 52. ISBN   0-930118-18-9.
  7. ↑ Last, P.R., H. Motomura, and W. T. White (2008). "Cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp. nov., a new swellshark (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from southeastern Australia" in Last, P.R., W.T. White and J.J. Pogonoski (eds). Descriptions of new Australian Chondrichthyans. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper No. 022: 147–157. ISBN   0-1921424-1-0 (corrected) ISBN   1-921424-18-2 (invalid, listed in publication).
  8. ↑ Tazerouti, F., L. Euzet and N. Kechemir-Issad (July 2007). "Redescription of three species of Calyptrobothrium monticelli, 1893 (Tetraphyllidea : Phyllobothriidae) parasites of Torpedo marmorata and T. nobiliana (Elasmobranchii : Torpedinidae). Remarks on their parasitic specificity and on the taxonomical position of the species previously attributed to C-riggii Monticelli, 1893". Systematic Parasitology67 (3): 175–185.
  9. 1 2 3 Martin, R.A. Do Sharks Make Any Sounds? (archived from Archive.org). ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  10. ↑ Duffy, Clinton A. J.; Francis, Malcolm; Dunn, M. R.; Finucci, Brit; Ford, Richard; Hitchmough, Rod; Rolfe, Jeremy (2018). Conservation status of New Zealand chondrichthyans (chimaeras, sharks and rays), 2016 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. p. 9. ISBN   9781988514628. OCLC   1042901090.
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