- Bamboo shark
Bamboo sharks are of the order Orectolobiformes, which contains seven families. The bamboo
shark family itself contains several differentspecies , including thebrownbanded bamboo shark ("Chiloscyllium punctatum"), thegrey bamboo shark ("Chiloscyllium griseum") and thewhitespotted bamboo shark ("Chiloscyllium plagiosum"). They are bottom dwelling fish, as are most Orectolobiformes.Distribution and habitat
They are distributed in many areas, including
Indonesia ,India ,Arabia ,China ,Japan ,Philippines , and various other locations. They are also common incoral reef s.Anatomy and appearance
As its name suggests, the brownbanded bamboo shark has brown bands along its body. The bands fade with age, much like those of the
tiger shark . The whitespotted bamboo shark is greyish brown, with small white spots dotted all over its body. It also has a few large dark blotches on its back. And, like all Bamboo sharks, right above its mouth it has twobarbels .Diet
The brownbanded bamboo shark is nocturnal, meaning it is active at night, and it hides in the reef some of the time but known to be out during the day, until night, when it comes out to feed. It eats small fish, crustaceans, and various other small sea animals. Bamboo sharks are small, sluggish bottom-feeders, and will not go after any large fish. They feed on invertebrates mostly. The whitespotted bamboo shark will eat crabs,shrimp and small fish, which it smashes before eating. They have small sharp teeth.
Reproduction
Bamboo sharks are
oviparous , which means that they lay eggs. A whitespotted bamboo shark egg resembles adogfish 's egg, and theembryo can be seen inside. Bamboo sharks, and often whitespotted bamboo sharks, are used a lot for breeding, because they will usually lay eggs in captivity.Relationship to humans
All bamboo sharks are harmless, and pose no threat to humans, while humans, on the other hand, do pose a threat to them. Most encounters between a bamboo shark and a human would probably result worse for the shark.
See also
*
List of sharks References
* Leonard J. V. Compagno, FAO Species Catalogue, Vol. 4, Parts 1 and 2, Sharks of the World, 1984, Rome: FAO
External links
* [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/09/0925_020925_virginshark.html Virgin birth bamboo shark]
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