Carpet sharks

Taxobox
name = Carpet sharks

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image_width = 250px
image_caption = Spotted wobbegong, "Orectolobus maculatus"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Chondrichthyes
subclassis = Elasmobranchii
ordo = Orectolobiformes
ordo_authority = Applegate, 1972
subdivision_ranks = Families
subdivision = See text for families.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 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)
** Genus "Brachaelurus"
*** Blind shark, "Brachaelurus waddi" (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=5892&genusname=Brachaelurus&speciesname=waddi]
** Genus "Heteroscyllium"
*** Bluegray carpetshark, "Heteroscyllium colcloughi" (Ogilby, 1908) [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=5893&genusname=Heteroscyllium&speciesname=colcloughi]
* Family Ginglymostomatidae (Nurse sharks)
** Genus "Ginglymostoma"
*** Nurse shark, "Ginglymostoma cirratum" Bonnaterre, 1788
** Genus "Nebrius"
*** Tawny nurse shark, "Nebrius ferrugineus" Lesson, 1831
** Genus "Pseudoginglymostoma" (proposed family Pseudoginglymostomatidae)
*** Short-tail nurse shark, "Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum" Günther, 1867
* 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, 2008cite journal | journal = Aqua (Miradolo Terme) | volume = 13 | issue = 3-4 | year = 2008 | pages = 93-108 | title = Two new species of bamboo sharks (Orectolobiformes: Hemiscylliidae) from Western New Guinea | author = Allen & Erdmann]
*** Papuan epaulette shark, "Hemiscyllium hallstromi" Whitley, 1967
*** "Hemiscyllium henryi" Allen & Erdmann, 2008
*** 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. [cite journal | journal = Zootaxa | url = http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2006f/z01284p051f.pdf | volume = 1284 | year = 2006 | pages = 29–51 | title = Redescription of two species of wobbegongs (Chondrichthyes: Orectolobidae) with elevation of Orectolobus halei Whitley 1940 to species level | author = Huveneers]
*** "Orectolobus hutchinsi" Last, Chidlow & Compagno, 2006. [cite journal | journal = Zootaxa | url = http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2006f/z01239p048f.pdf | volume = 1239 | year = 2006 | pages = 35–48 | title = A new wobbegong shark, Orectolobus hutchinsi n. sp. (Orectolobiformes: Orectolobidae) from southwestern Australia | author = Last, Chidlow & Compagno]
*** Tasselled wobbegong, "Orectolobus dasypogon" (Bleeker, 1867) [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=756&genusname=Orectolobus&speciesname=dasypogon]
*** Japanese wobbegong, "Orectolobus japonicus" Regan, 1906 [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=757&genusname=Orectolobus&speciesname=japonicus]
*** Spotted wobbegong, "Orectolobus maculatus" (Bonnaterre, 1788) [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=758&genusname=Orectolobus&speciesname=maculatus]
*** Ornate wobbegong, "Orectolobus ornatus" (De Vis, 1883) [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=759&genusname=Orectolobus&speciesname=ornatus]
*** Northern wobbegong, "Orectolobus wardi" Whitley, 1939 [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=760&genusname=Orectolobus&speciesname=wardi]
*** Western wobbegong, "Orectolobus sp. A"
** Genus "Sutorectus"
*** Cobbler wobbegong, "Sutorectus tentaculatus" (Peters, 1864) [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=761&genusname=Sutorectus&speciesname=tentaculatus]
* Family Parascylliidae (Collared carpet sharks)
** Genus "Cirrhoscyllium" Smith & Radcliffe in Smith , 1913
*** Barbelthroat carpetshark, "Cirrhoscyllium expolitum" Smith & Radcliffe, 1913 [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=5911&genusname=Cirrhoscyllium&speciesname=expolitum]
*** Taiwan saddled carpetshark, "Cirrhoscyllium formosanum" Teng, 1959 [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=5912&genusname=Cirrhoscyllium&speciesname=formosanum]
*** Saddle carpetshark, "Cirrhoscyllium japonicum" Kamohara, 1943 [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=5913&genusname=Cirrhoscyllium&speciesname=japonicum]
** Genus "Parascyllium" Gill , 1862
*** Collared carpetshark, "Parascyllium collare" Ramsay & Ogilby, 1888 [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=5914&genusname=Parascyllium&speciesname=collare]
*** Rusty carpetshark, "Parascyllium ferrugineum" McCulloch, 1911 [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=5913&genusname=Cirrhoscyllium&speciesname=japonicum]
*** Ginger carpetshark, "Parascyllium sparsimaculatum" Goto & Last, 2002 () [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=59418&genusname=Parascyllium&speciesname=sparsimaculatum]
*** Necklace carpetshark, "Parascyllium variolatum" (Duméril, 1853) [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=5917&genusname=Parascyllium&speciesname=variolatum]
* Family Rhincodontidae (Whale sharks)
** Genus "Rhincodon"
*** Whale shark, Rhincodon typus
* Family Stegostomatidae (Zebra sharks)
** Genus "Stegostoma"
*** Zebra shark, Stegostoma fasciatum

ee also

* List of sharks

Carpet sharks in pop culture

* Used as derogatory term for lesbians
* Used as an affectionate term for ferrets

References

External links

* [http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/shark_profiles/orectolobiformes.htm Reefquest page on carpet sharks]
* [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/OrdersSummary.cfm?order=Orectolobiformes FishBase page on Orectolobiformes]
* http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/topics/d_checklist.htm