No more rain in September? An Indian summer you say? Hmm I am doubtful that it will last but that’s just me. At least I’m sure what last week’s issue was, the Red Shanked Douc, and that this week’s issue is a slightly more aquatic issue. Hope you guys enjoy. ___________________________________________________________________

Issue #86 – Epaulette Shark

Kingdom – Animalia

Phylum – Chordata

Class – Chondrichthyes

Order – Orectolobiformes

Family – Hemiscylliidae

Genus – Hemiscyllidae

Species –ocellatum

Related Species – The Epaulette Shark is one of the Carpet Shark Family, a group which contains the largest fish in the world, the Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) (1)

Range

Invasion of the Land Sharks!!

The Epaulette Shark is a small species of shark, which grows up to 80cm in length, and is identifiable by the large spot on the shoulder which gives the shark its name. While able to swim, the Epaulette Shark spends most of its time on the sea floor, moving itself around on muscular pectoral fins which it also uses to climb coral rocks. The species feeds mainly on buried molluscs and crustaceans which it sucks out of the sand before usually swallowing them whole.

Because the Epaulette Shark is a shallow water species, it often finds itself in tidal environments with low levels of oxygen dissolved in the water which would kill most fish species. Fortunately the shark has the ability to lower the blood pressure in its body to deliver more blood to the brain, effectively warding off brain damage (2). In addition the shark can walk and clamber across terrestrial surfaces in search of water, in an attempt to return to more oxygen rich environments. If this proves unreachable the shark can simply wait for the returning tide, with Epaulette Sharks managing to survive for up to an hour without oxygen.

Courtship in the species is initiated by gentle biting from the female to signify here readiness, with the male reciprocating by biting her on the pectoral fin. From there he inserts one of his claspers into her cloaca, with the entire process taking only a minute to a minute and a half to complete (3). Unlike most sharks, the Epaulette Shark is oviparous and lays eggs on the seafloor, often hiding them in nooks and crevices to avoid predation.

Five Fun Epaulette Shark Facts

The Epaulette Shark is one of the few sharks to chew its prey, with hard shelled crustaceans being masticated for up to ten minutes.

Numerous isopod and ostracod species parasitize the Epaulette Shark in their larval phase, and often change hosts during reproduction (4)

It is theorized that the large ‘epaulettes’ on the sharks flanks, may actually by defensive eye spots that make the shark look bigger to predators

While most animals that can survive periods without oxygen, most do it at cold temperatures. The Epaulette Shark can survive an hour without oxygen in temperatures up to 30 degrees Celsius.

Epaulette Sharks grow slowly, even when compared to the slow maturity rates of other sharks. In their first year the 14cm hatchings only grow an additional inch and a half in length

References

1. www.arkive.org

2. Wise, G., Mulvey, J.M. and Renshaw, G.M.C. "Hypoxia tolerance in the Epaulette Shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)". Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Comparative Experimental Biology 281 (1): 1–5

3. West, J.G. and Carter, S. (1990). "Observations on the development and growth of the epaulette shark Hemiscyllium ocellatum (Bonnaterre) in captivity". Journal of Aquariculture and Aquatic Science 5: 111–117

4. Bennett, M.B., Heupel, M.R., Bennett, S.M. and Parker, A.R. (Mar 1997). "Sheina orri (Myodocopa: Cypridinidae), an ostracod parasitic on the gills of the epaulette shark, Hemiscyllium ocellatum (Elasmobranchii: Hemiscyllidae)". International Journal for Parasitology 27 (3): 275–281

Picture References

1. http://www.oceanarium.co.uk/sites/oceanarium.co.uk/files/styles/slide_breakpoints_theme_bor_narrow_1x/public/animal/epauletteshark2.jpg?itok=_BN9g_lW

2. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/gallery/Descript/EpauletteShark/EpauletteSharkbasemap.JPG

3. http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/scale_small/4/45471/1267679-hemiscyllium_ocellatum_4_29.jpg

4. http://www.wild-facts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Walking-Shark.jpg

And with the thud of fins on sand, the Epaulette Shark slithers and slides back to the ocean. Next week’s animal also slithers and slides, but prefers a far more terrestrial setting but more on that later, and until then remember to critic, comment and discuss future species to cover as well as checking out past issues in Impurest’s Bestiary.

Many Thanks

Impurest Cheese