Hemiscyllium halmahera

(Redirected from Halmahera epaulette shark)

Hemiscyllium halmahera, or the Halmahera epaulette shark, is a species of bamboo shark from Indonesia. This species is described from two specimens collected near Ternate island in 2013, off the coast of larger Halmahera island. This species is most similar to Hemiscyllium galei, found in West Papua, but looks strikingly different in its pattern of spots. While H. galei has seven large, dark spots on each side of its body, H. halmahera has a brown color with clusters of brown or white spots in polygon configurations all over its body.[2] These small sharks are like other bamboo sharks, in that they use their pectoral fins to "walk" along the ocean floor.[3]

Hemiscyllium halmahera
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Hemiscylliidae
Genus: Hemiscyllium
Species:
H. halmahera
Binomial name
Hemiscyllium halmahera
Known range of the Halmahera epaulette shark (in blue)

Etymology

edit

The shark is named named for Halmahera, Indonesia, the type locality where the fish was collected.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ VanderWright, W.J.; Allen, G.R.; Derrick, D.; Dudgeon, C.L.; Erdmann, M.V.; Sianipar, A. (2021) [amended version of 2020 assessment]. "Hemiscyllium halmahera". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T176486052A198885632. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T176486052A198885632.en. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Allen, G.R.; Erdmann, M.V.; Dudgeon, C.L. (2013), "Hemiscyllium halmahera, a new species of Bamboo Shark (Hemiscylliidae) from Indonesia.", Aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, 19 (3): 123–136
  3. ^ "Hemiscyllium halmahera: New Species of 'Walking' Shark from Indonesia", sci-news.com, August 25, 2013
  4. ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 September 2018). "Family HEMISCYLLIDAE Gill 1862 (Bamboo Sharks)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
edit