Stegostoma fasciatum
Zebra Shark
©Anne: 2 metre long Stegostoma fasciatum at Eyrie Reef near Lizard Island
©Anne: 2 metre long Stegostoma fasciatum at Watson's Bay, Lizard Island
©Anne: 2 m long Stegostoma fasciatum at Watson's Bay
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Elasmobranchii
Order
Orectolobiformes
Family
Stegostomatidae
Genus
Stegostoma
Species
Stegostoma fasciatum
Status
vulnerable
Colours
Distinguishing features
A large, bottom-dwelling shark with distinctive spotted colour pattern. The body has prominent ridges running along sides and the tail is extremely long, about half the body length. Pectoral fins are large, very broad and rounded.
Size
- Up to 200 cm (Measured as the total length of the fish: the length from the tip of the snout to the tip of the longer lobe of the caudal fin, usually measured with the lobes compressed along the midline. It is a straight-line measure, not measured over the curve of the body.)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Local abundance
- Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia: Not commonly seen in the Lizard Island area
Behaviour
Sluggish, usually found resting on sandy bottom.
Web resources
Danger
- not dangerous - Unagressive, considered harmless
References
References that assist with identification
- Allen, G., R. Steene, P. Humann and N. Deloach (2003). Reef fish identification: Tropical Pacific New World Publications Inc., Jacksonville, FL, USA.
Other references
- Mirams, A.G.K., E.A. Treml, J.L. Shields, L. Liggins and C. Riginos (2011). Vicariance and dispersal across an intermittent barrier: population genetic structure of marine animals across the Torres Strait land bridge. Coral Reefs, 30: 937-949. LIRS catalog number 1482.