coastline and New Guinea; to 300 cm. (ORECTOLOBIDAE)
15 NORTHERN WOBBEGONG
Orectolobus wardi Whitley, 1939
Inhabits coastal waters; distinguished by pale-edged dark saddles and bands, frequently has black spots on edge of dorsal fins and tail, skin flaps on head not as well developed as in 14; harmless; N. Australia only; to 100 cm. (ORECTOLOBIDAE)
16 TASSELLED WOBBEGONG
Euchrossorhinus dasypogon (Bleeker, 1867)
Inhabits coral reefs; distinguished by numerous branched skin flaps on both chin and side of head (absent on chin in 14 and 15) and very broad, rounded head; harmless; N. Australia and New Guinea; to 350 cm. (ORECTOLOBIDAE)
SHARK TEETH
Sharks typically have an outer row of well developed, upright teeth and several inner rows of teeth in various stages of development which are folded downward. Teeth are continuously produced throughout the life of the shark and each row moves forward to replace the next row every few weeks. The teeth are a valuable means of identifying species, particulary among the whalers (Plate 2). Typical examples from the upper and lower jaw of a number of sharks are included on plates 1 and 2.
PLATE 2: SHARKS (FAMILY CARCHARHINIDAE)
1 SILVERTIP SHARK
Carcharhinus albimarginatus (Rüppell, 1837)
Inhabits offshore coral reefs, usually below 20 m depth on outer edge of reefs; distinguished by white tips on dorsal, tail, and pectoral fins; dangerous; found throughout the region; Indo-E Pacific; to 300 cm.
2 BIGNOSE SHARK
Carcharhinus altimus (Springer, 1950)
Inhabits coastal waters; distinguished by long rounded or bluntly pointed snout when viewed from above, no conspicuous fin markings, and skin ridge between dorsal fins; potentially dangerous; found throughout the region; worldwide tropical seas, to 300 cm
3 GREY REEF SHARK
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos (Bleeker, 1856)
Inhabits inshore and offshore coral reefs; usually seen adjacent to dropoffs on the outer edge of reefs; distinguished by black margin on tail and lacks skin ridge between dorsal fins; dangerous; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 255 cm.
4 PIGEYE SHARK
Carcharhinus amboinensis (Muller & Henle, 1839)
Inhabits coastal waters, sometimes entering estuaries and rivers; a large stout grey shark without.distinguishing marks, has a large dorsal fin and lacks a skin ridge between the dorsal fins; dangerous; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 280 cm.
5 BRONZE WHALER
Carcharhinus brachyurus (Gunther, 1870)
Inhabits coastal waters; often confused with 13, but has narrower upper teeth and no skin ridge between dorsal fins; dangerous; subtropical and temperate Australian seas; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; to 325 cm.
6 LONG-NOSED GREY SHARK
Carcharhinus brevipinna (Muller & Henle, 1839) Inhabits coastal waters, often occurs in schools; distinguished by black tips on most fins, but lacks white margins around black areas as found in 11; potentially dangerous; also known as Smooth-fanged or Inkytail Shark; found throughout the region; Atlantic and Indo-W. Pacific; to 300 cm.
7 BULL SHARK
Carcharhinus leucas (Valenciennes, 1839)
Inhabits coastal waters, enters estuaries and rivers; landlocked freshwater populations occur in some areas outside Australia; a large stocky shark with short blunt snout when viewed from above, broad triangular teeth, and lacks skin ridge between dorsal fins; dangerous; also known as River Shark and Estuary Whaler; found throughout the region; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; to 340 cm.
8 SILKY SHARK
Carcharhinus falciformes (Bibron, 1839)
Inhabits oceanic waters, usually well offshore; a large slender grey shark with a moderately long rounded snout, short first dorsal fin, and elongate tips on anal and second dorsal fins; potentially dangerous; found throughout the region; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; to 330 cm.
9 WHITE CHEEK SHARK
Carcharhinus dussumieri Valenciennes, 1839 Inhabits coastal waters; see remarks for 15 below; harmless; N.W. Australia and S.E. Asia; N.Indian Ocean and W.Pacific; to 100 cm.
10 BLACKTIP SHARK
Carharhinus limbatus (Valenciennes, 1839)
Inhabits coastal waters; similar to 6, but more black on fin tips and has black spot on pelvic fin; potentially dangerous; found throughout the region; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; to 255 cm.
11 BLACKTIP REEF SHARK
Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) Inhabits reef flats and coral reef lagoons; distinguished from other ‘black-tipped’ sharks by white margin around black areas,especially noticeable on first dorsal fin; usually not dangerous unless cornered; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 180 cm.
12 OCEANIC WHITETIP SHARK
Carcharhinus longimanus (Poey, 1861)
Inhabits oceanic waters, usually well offshore; distinushed by over-sized pectoral fin and broad rounded dorsal fin, both of these fins broadly white tipped; dangerous; found throughout the region; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; to 396 cm.
13 BLACK WHALER
Carcharhinus obscurus (Le Sueur, 1818)
Inhabits coastal waters, also found well offshore; similar to 5, but has wider, more triangler teeth in upper jaw and has a low skin ridge between dorsal fins; dangerous; also known as Dusky Shark; subtropical and tropical Australia; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; to 362 cm.
14 SANDBAR SHARK
Carcharhinus plumbeus (Nardo, 1827)
Inhabits coastal waters; distinguished by very tall first dorsal fin that arises above rear base of pectoral fin;dangerous; also known as Sand or Thickskin Shark and Northern Whaler; found throughout the region; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; to 300 cm.
15 BLACKSPOT SHARK
Carcharhinus sealei (Pietschmann, 1916) inhabits coastal waters; similar to 9, but has falcate rather than triangular first dorsal fin; harmless; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 95 cm.
16 SPOT-TAIL SHARK
Carcharhinus
