Western Wobbegong

About the Western Wobbegong

Orectolobus hutchinsi, the western wobbegong, is a species of carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae. The western wobbegong shark is a moderate sized marine shark found off the coast of Western Australia. Its scientific name is Orectolobus hutchinsi, and it was first identified in 1983 by Dr. Barry Hutchins, but was only recently classified, described, and published in 2006. O. hutchinsi is found on the shallow continental shelf in Western Australia from Coral Bay to Groper Bluff. This species is distinct from other wobbegong sharks because the western wobbegong shark has a yellowish brown upper body and darker brown saddles on their backs. Unlike other wobbegong sharks from the same area, the western wobbegong shark does not have white rings or blotches on their backs.

Like all wobbegong sharks, the western wobbegong shark is able to electrosense, meaning that the shark can sense the electricity of moving organisms around it. The way that electrosensitivity works is through the gel-filled pores on and surrounding the wobbegong shark's head. The gel-filled canals open on the surface of the skin, where they pick up sensory information from... Wikipedia →