Orectolobus hutchinsi Last, Chidlow & Compagno, 2006
Western wobbegong

Family:  Orectolobidae (Carpet or nurse sharks)
Max. size:  149 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 106 m
Distribution:  Eastern Indian Ocean: Western Australia. Sympatric with O. maculatus and O. ornatus.
Diagnosis:  Diagnosis: A moderate-sized species with the following characters: yellowish-brown when fresh with well-defined, darker brown saddles; absence fo white spots, blotches or reticulations on the fins and body; nasal barbel bilobed; postspiracular lobes are simple, reduced or rudimentary; distance across preorbital lobe group 1.2-1.3 times interspace between preorbital group and postspiracular lobe, 13-15 times base length of anterior postspiracular lobe; base of anterior postspiracular lobe 11-12 in its distance from postorbital group, 4.9-7 in its distance from posterior postspiracular lobe; mouth width 4.7-10.2 times preoral distance; warty tubercles absent on back of adult; juveniles with rows of elevated denticles or poorly defined warty tubercles on back; dorsal fins raked posteriorly; first dorsal fin over rear half of pelvic -fin bases; interdorsal space 0.38-0.56 times anal-fin base length; anal-fin inner margin 0.8-1.1 times anal-fin posterior margin; teeth in upper jaw 25-27, those in the medial row at symphysis rudimentary; spiral valve turns 26-28; monospondylous centra 48-50 (Ref. 58024).
Biology:  Males mature at about 111 cm TL. Young born at 22-26 cm TL (mean 24.1 cm TL based on 40 specimens). Caught as by-catch of local gillnet, longline, rock lobster and recreational fisheries (Ref. 58024).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 18 February 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.