Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Anonymous [Bennett], 1830)
Whitespotted bambooshark
photo by Murch, A.

Family:  Hemiscylliidae (Bamboo sharks)
Max. size:  83 cm TL (male/unsexed); 95 cm TL (female); max. reported age: 25 years
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: India and Maldives east to Papua New Guinea north to Japan, south to Indonesia. Reported from Korea (Ref. 45255).
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). 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: Young and adults with transverse dark bands and numerous white or bluish spots (Ref. 13575, 43278). Body with lateral dermal ridges (Ref. 43278, 13575).
Biology:  A common but little-known inshore bottom shark (Ref. 247); found on rocks and coral reefs (Ref. 90102). Feeds on bony fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 43278). Oviparous (Ref. 43278, 50449). Utilized for human consumption (Ref. 247) and used in Chinese medicine (Ref. 12166). Caught by multiple hook and line and trawl (Ref. 47736). Caught rarely by demersal gillnet fisheries operating inshore (Ref.58048).
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 25 January 2020 (A2d) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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