The order Orectolobiformes, also collectively known as the carpet sharks because many members have carpet-like patterned markings, includes a number of familiar types of sharks, such as the nurse sharks and whale shark, as well as some unusual species, such as the blind shark. The order is small, with only 39 species in seven families in 13 genera.
Carpet sharks have two dorsal fins, without spines, and a small mouth that is forward of the eyes. Many have barbels and small gill slits, with the fifth slit overlapping the fourth. The upper lobe of the caudal fin tends to be mostly in line with the body, while the lower lobe is poorly developed, except in the case of the whale shark. While many in the order are small, the whale shark is the largest living fish.
Classification
- Family Brachaeluridae (Blind sharks)
- Family Ginglymostomatidae (Nurse sharks)
- Genus Ginglymostoma
- Genus Nebrius
- Genus Pseudoginglymostoma (proposed family Pseudoginglymostomatidae)
- Family Hemiscylliidae (Bamboo sharks)
- Genus Chiloscyllium
- Arabian carpetshark, Chiloscyllium arabicum Gubanov, 1980
- Burmese bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium burmensis Dingerkus & DeFino, 1983
- Bluespotted bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium caerulopunctatum Pellegrin, 1914
- Grey bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium griseum Müller & Henle, 1838
- Hasselt's bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium hasseltii Bleeker, 1852
- Slender bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium indicum (Gmelin, 1789)
- Whitespotted bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Bennett, 1830)
- Brownbanded bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium punctatum Müller & Henle, 1838
- Genus Hemiscyllium
- Indonesian speckled carpetshark, Hemiscyllium freycineti (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
- Hemiscyllium galei Allen & Erdmann, 20081
- Papuan epaulette shark, Hemiscyllium hallstromi Whitley, 1967
- Hemiscyllium henryi Allen & Erdmann, 20081
- Epaulette shark, Hemiscyllium ocellatum (Bonnaterre, 1788)
- Hooded carpetshark, Hemiscyllium strahani Whitley, 1967
- Speckled carpetshark, Hemiscyllium trispeculare Richardson, 1843
- Family Orectolobidae (Carpet sharks)
- Genus Orectolobus
- Orectolobus parvimaculatus
- Orectolobus floridus
- Orectolobus halei Whitley, 1940.2
- Orectolobus hutchinsi Last, Chidlow & Compagno, 2006.3
- Tasselled wobbegong, Orectolobus dasypogon (Bleeker, 1867) [3]
- Japanese wobbegong, Orectolobus japonicus Regan, 1906 [4]
- Spotted wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus (Bonnaterre, 1788) [5]
- Ornate wobbegong, Orectolobus ornatus (De Vis, 1883) [6]
- Northern wobbegong, Orectolobus wardi Whitley, 1939 [7]
- Western wobbegong, Orectolobus sp. A
- Genus Sutorectus
- Family Parascylliidae (Collared carpet sharks)
- Genus Cirrhoscyllium Smith & Radcliffe in Smith , 1913
- Genus Parascyllium Gill , 1862
- Family Rhincodontidae (Whale sharks)
- Family Stegostomatidae (Zebra sharks)
See also
Carpet sharks in pop culture
- Used as derogatory term for lesbians
- Used as an affectionate term for ferrets
References
External links
