COD
Epinephelus tauvina (Forsskål, 1775)
Inhabits coral reefs in clear water; distinguished by pattern of brown spots on a whitish background; similar to 10, but spots are larger and more widely spaced; Great Barrier Reef, northern W. Australia, and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-C Pacific; to 70 cm.
PLATE 27
1 PRINCESS ANTHIAS
Pseudanthias smithvanizi (Randall & Lubbock, 1981)
Inhabits outer reef slopes, usually seen below depths of 2530 m; occurs in aggregations; distinguished by small size, swollen upper lip (males), prolonged 3rd dorsal fin spine (males), numerous yellow spots on upper half of body, and strongly forked tail; Great Barrier Reef, offshore reefs of W. Australia, and throughout S.E. Asia;
Indo-C. Pacific; to 9.5 cm.
2 LORI’S ANTHIAS
Pseudanthias lori (Lubbock & Randall, 1976)
Inhabits outer reef slopes, usually seen in aggregations at depths between 25-60 m; distinguished by bright red bars on back and broad red band on tail base; Great Barrier Reef, offshore reefs of W. Australia, and throughout S.E. Asia; C.-W. Pacific and E. Indian Ocean; to 12 cm.
3 THREADFIN ANTHIAS
Pseudanthias huchtii (Bleeker, 1857)
Inhabits coral reefs; a common inhabitant of lagoons, passes, and upper edge of outer reef slopes; similar to 4 below, but less brilliantly coloured, males have reddish rather than orange band across cheek and lack large dark spot on pectoral fin, females are greenish yellow rather than orange; Great Barrier Reef and throughout S.E. Asia; Philippines to N.E. Australia and Vanuatu; to 12 cm.
PLATE 1: SHARKS
1 WHALE SHARK
Rhincodon typus Smith, 1828
Inhabits coastal waters, also occurs well offhore; distinguished by huge size and pattern of white spots; world’s largest fish, but harmless plankton feeder; rarely seen but sightings off North West Cape, Western Australia during March-April are a regular occurrence; found throughout the region; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; possibly to 18 m; but-seldom above 12 m. (RHINCODONTIDAE)
2 LEOPARD SHARK
Stegostoma fasciatum (Hermann, 1783)
Inhabits coastal waters and offshore areas in the vicinity of coral reefs, may be seen resting on the bottom; distinguished by large tail, dark spots, and ridges on side; also known as Zebra Shark; harmless; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 350 cm. (STEGASTOMATIDAE)
3 TAWNY NURSE SHARK
Nebrius ferrugineus (Lesson, 1830)
Inhabits shallow reefs; distinguished by brown colour; equal-sized dorsal fins and moderately long barbels on snout; harmless; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 320 cm. (GINGLYMOSTOMATIDAE)
4 GREY NURSE SHARK
Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810
Inhabits coastal waters, often occurs near the bottom in small schools, distinguished by pair of dorsal and anal fins nearly of equal size, long curved fang-like teeth, and lack of barbels on snout; usually harmless, but will attack if provoked; subtropical Australian seas; Atlantic and Indo-W. Pacific; to 360 cm. (ODONTASPIDAE)
5 SMALL TOOTH THRESHER SHARK
Alopias pelagicus Nakamura, 1935
Inhabits oceanic waters, but occasionally caught near shore; distinguished by very long upper tail lobe (used to stun schools of fish); harmless; found throughout the region; Indo-E. Pacific; to 330 cm. (ALOPIIDAE)
6 BULLHEAD SHARK
Heterodontus zebra (Gray, 1831)
Inhabits flat bottoms on the continental shelf to at least 50 m depth; distinguished by barred pattern and sharp spine at front of both dorsal fins; harmless except dorsal spines can cause painful wound; found throughout the region; mainly W. Pacific; to 122 cm. (HETERODONTIDAE)
7 SHORTFIN MAKO
Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque, 1809
Inhabits oceanic waters usually well offshore, but sometimes visits coastal areas; distinguished by slender shape, equal-sized tail fin lobes, and slender dagger-like teeth; also known as Blue pointer; dangerous; found throughout the region; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; to 400 cm. (LAMNIDAE)
8 BLUNTNOSE SIXGILL SHARK
Hexanchus griseus (Bonnaterre, 1788)
Inhabits coastal waters, also occurs well offshore in deeper waters of the continental shelf; distinguished by absence of second dorsal fin; found throughout the region; worldwide tropical seas; to 180 cm. (HEXANCHIDAE)
9 SPECKLED CATSHARK
Hemiscyllium trispeculare Richardson, 1843
Inhabits shallow coral reefs; distinguished by pale edged black spot partially surrounded by smaller black spots just behind gill slits; N. Australia only; to 65 cm. (HEMISCYLLIDAE)
10 EPAULETTE SHARK
Hemiscyllium ocellatum (Bonaterre, 1788)
Inhabits shallow coral reefs; similar to 9, but lacks smaller black spots adjacent to large spot behind gill slits; harmless; N. Australia and New Guinea; to 107 cm. (HEMISCYLLIDAE)
11 BROWN-BANDED CATSHARK
Chiloscyllium punctatum Muller & Henle, 1838
Inhabits shallow coral reefs; distinguished by strongly-barred pattern and barbels on snout; harmless; found throughout the region; E. Indian Ocean and W. Pacific; to 104 cm. (HEMISCYLLIDAE)
12 MARBLED CATSHARK
Atelomycterus macleayi Whitley, 1939
Inhabits coastal waters on sand or rocky bottoms; distinguished by small size, slender shape, no barbels on snout, and pattern of black spots and faint broad dark bars; N. Australia only; to 60 cm. (SCYLIORHINIDAE)
13 RETICULATED SWELLSHARK
CephaloscyIlium fasciatum Chen, 1966
Inhabits deeper waters of the continental shelf; distinguished by rounded, inflatable stomach, blunt snout, narrow eye-slits and pattern of spots and lines; harmless; found throughout the region; N. Australia and S.E. Asia; to 80 cm. (SCYLIORHINIDAE)
14 BANDED WOBBEGONG
Orectolobus ornatus (de Vis, 1883)
Inhabits shallow coastal reefs frequently on sand or weed bottoms; distinguished by ornate colour pattern and numerous skin flaps on mouth and lower part of head; harmless, but will bite if accidentally trod on; entire Australian
