Spotted Wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus (Bonnaterre 1788)

Other Names: Carpet Shark, Common Carpet Shark, Common Catshark, Tassel Shark, Wobbegong

A Spotted Wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus, at Montague Island, New South Wales. Source: John Turnbull / Flickr. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Summary:

A large, well-camouflaged yellowish to greenish-brown shark with large dark saddles along the back, whitish rings on the body (including within the saddles), a distinctive brown triangle between the eyes, and 6-10 long fleshy lobes along each side of the head.
The Spotted Wobbegong is often confused with the Banded Carpetshark, Orectolobus halei, which has indistinct markings in the dark saddles and fewer fleshy lobes.

Great video of a Spotted Wobbegong at Bare Island, Sydney, New South Wales.

A Spotted Wobbegong in Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly, New South Wales.

Despite their seemingly docile nature, Spotted Wobbegongs have long, slender sharp teeth and may cause severe lacerations if provoked. Not only that, they seem reluctant to release their victims.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2023, Orectolobus maculatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 08 Sep 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1975

Spotted Wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus (Bonnaterre 1788)

More Info

Distribution	North of Swains Reef, Queensland, south to about Lakes Entrance, Victoria, and from about Warrnambool, Victoria, to North West Cape, Western Australia (Tasmanian and Northern Territory records probably in error). Although this species has been recorded from Japan and South China seas, it is most likely endemic to Australia. Inhabits reefs, sandy and seagrass areas in coastal bays. The species is nocturnal and individuals usually rest during the day.
Features	Body large, robust, no dermal ridges or warty tubercles along back; lateral head margin with 6-10 long, coarsely branched dermal lobes along each side before the eye - lobes absent from chin; small tubercle present above rear of eye.
Feeding	A nocturnal predator, feeding mostly on fishes and octopus, along with crabs and other crustaceans such as crayfish.
Biology	Individuals mature at 115-120 cm TL. Reproductive mode: aplacental viviparous (ovoviviparous) with females giving birth to up to 37 pups in spring following a 10-11 month gestation period.
Fisheries	Targeted and taken as bycatch in commercial and recreational fisheries.
Conservation	NSW: Listed as Vulnerable IUCN Red List: Near Threatened
Remarks	Although considered docile, bites from wobbegong sharks can not only cause severe lacerations, but the shark is often reluctant to release its victim. The International Shark Attack File records 23 confirmed attacks on humans by Spotted Wobbegong sharks.
Similar Species	The Spotted Wobbegong differs from Orectolobus halei in having saddles with whitish rings and blotches, and more dermal lobes (6-10) at the rear end of the preorbital group.
Etymology	The specific name maculatus is from the Latin maculosus meaning 'spotted', in reference to the spotted pattern on the body.
Species Citation	Squalus maculatus Bonnaterre 1788, Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique des trois règnes de la nature... Ichthyologie: 8. Type locality: southwestern Pacific (as La mer du Sud) - presumably Australia.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2023
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Spotted Wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus (Bonnaterre 1788)

References

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