Chiloscyllium indicum (Gmelin, 1789)
Slender bambooshark
Chiloscyllium indicum
photo by FAO

Family:  Hemiscylliidae (Bamboo sharks)
Max. size:  65 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 90 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: India, Sri Lanka, to about Bangladesh; possibly Arabian Sea, and around Thailand and Indonesia (Sumatra). Records from Solomon Islands and north to China and Japan are different species, possibly Chiloscyllium plagiosum.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0. Genus: Nostrils subterminal on snout; pre-oral snout long, mouth closer to eyes than snout tip; eyes and supraorbital ridges hardly elevated; no black hood on head or large spot or spots on sides of body above pectoral fins (Ref. 43278). Caudal fin with a pronounced subterminal notch but without a ventral lobe (Ref. 13575). Species: Light brown above, cream below, with numerous dark spots on body, tail, and fins, these often forming indistinct vertical bars and saddles (Ref. 31575). Dermal ridge on middle of back and two low lateral ridges (Ref. 4832).
Biology:  A common, but little-known inshore sluggish bottom shark (Ref. 13575) found on sandy and muddy bottoms of coastal waters, bays and inlets and rocky and coral reefs. Probably mainly feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates (Ref. 13575), also small fishes. Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Utilized for human consumption (Ref. 247). Possibly may occur in fresh water in the lower reaches of the Perak River in peninsular Malaysia (Ref. 43278).
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 28 May 2020 (A2d) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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