Similar to the Port Jackson Shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) of southern Australian waters, but possessing higher crests above the eyes, broad dark bars rather than oblique lines on side. Both species have spirally flanged eggs, which are twisted into reef crevices, with young developing over a period of a year. Forage on molluscs and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates at night, returning to particular caves and ledges during day. Not dangerous but should be handled with caution because of a venomous barb in front of each dorsal fin.

• Max Size: 152 cm
• Sea Temperature Range: 15.3-24.6°C
• Depth: 1-90m
• Habitat: Rocky Reef

• Threats: By-catch
• IUCN Threat Status: Least Concern
• Occurrence: Frequent (14% of sites)
  Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
• Abundance: Solitary (1 per transect)
  Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.