Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark
Hemiscyllium freycineti
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassElasmobranchii
- OrderOrectolobiformes (Carpet Sharks)
- FamilyHemiscylliidae (Bamboo Sharks)
- GenusHemiscyllium (Epaulette Sharks)
- SpeciesHemiscyllium freycineti (Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark)
About the Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark
The Indonesian speckled carpetshark, Hemiscyllium freycineti, is a species of bamboo shark in the family Hemiscylliidae. It is found in the shallow ocean around the Raja Ampat Islands in West Papua, Indonesia, but was formerly believed to be more widespread. This was due to confusion with H. michaeli, a species described from eastern Papua New Guinea in 2010. Compared to that species, the spots on H. freycineti are smaller, more rounded or slightly elongated in shape (versus relatively large, edged and more leopard-like in H. michaeli), and tend to darken at regular intervals forming 8-9 vertical bars on the body and tail. Furthermore, the large black spot behind the pectoral fin is more clearly defined in H. michaeli than in H. freycineti. Confusingly, some books with illustrations and photos labelled as H. freycineti actually show H. michaeli.
H. freycineti reaches a length is up to 46 centimetres (18 in). It is nocturnal, hiding in reef crevices during the day. The shark is named in honor of French navigator Louis de Freycinet (1779-1841), who collected the type specimen.
List of sharks Carpet shark - 1824-1825 Wikipedia →
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark in Raja Ampat?
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 102 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark in Raja Ampat?
May has the highest sighting rate for Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.