Heterodontus portusjacksoni

Port Jackson shark
Heterodontus portusjacksoni
Heterodontus portusjacksoni, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Tom Davis
Heterodontus portusjacksoni
Heterodontus portusjacksoni, juvenile, Jervis Bay, NSW, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Heterodontus portusjacksoni
Heterodontus portusjacksoni, adult, Sydney, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Heterodontus portusjacksoni
Heterodontus portusjacksoni, adult, Sydney, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
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Heterodontus portusjacksoni
Heterodontus portusjacksoni
Heterodontus portusjacksoni
Heterodontus portusjacksoni

Distribution

Temperate Africa, Temperate northern Atlantic, Tropical Atlantic/Caribbean


Description

The Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) is a nocturnal, oviparous (egg laying) type of bullhead shark of the family Heterodontidae, found in the coastal region of southern Australia, including the waters off Port Jackson. It has a large, blunt head with prominent forehead ridges and dark brown harness-like markings on a lighter grey-brown body. The species is not dangerous but should be handled with caution because it has a venomous barb in front of each dorsal fin. It also has strong jaws with plate-like teeth that are used for crushing bivalve molluscs.


Information

Max Size: 165 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 13-23.2°C

Depth: 1-275m

Habitat Generalization Index: 2.93

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Frequent (13.0% 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: Few (4 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney