This actually covers 12 different species of shark, but I'm going to mostly refer to the group, also known as Carpet Sharks, as a whole mostly. I just couldn't pick a single one to focus on.
So, first thing- Wobbegong is from an Aboriginal word meaning 'shaggy beard', which is...appropriate. You can see that from the pic below, which is from the Meridian Adventure link below. Despite what you'll probably think at first, that is actually a picture of a shark.
They're also called Carpet Sharks because they have flattened bodies and tend to hang around the ocean floor and pretend to not be there. They also have highly decorated bodies that tend to be what leads to their other names-- like Tasseled, which sounds a lot like a carpeting term, and Floral Banded. I want it stated for the record that I've never really considered that any shark could be considered 'floral'. There's also an Ornate Wobbegong, which is another thing I hadn't thought a shark could be described as.
These guys are generally only about 4 feet long, but they might be able to grow up to 12 feet long, and they don't move a lot. Unlike most sharks, they don't need to keep swimming to breathe. These guys evolved to be able to lay in wait for their prey. They also evolved the ability to dislocate their jaws so they can eat things almost as large as they are. If they do come across something larger though, they might just grab it and hold on until it dies, then munch as they are able. Usually though, most of their food is smaller and they basically suck it in and swallow it whole.
No comments:
Post a Comment