| Family: |
Heterodontidae (Bullhead, horn, or Port Jackson sharks) |
| Max. size: |
125 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 200 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Pacific: Japan to northwestern Australia (Ref. 6871) and Queensland. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0. The Zebra bullhead shark, Heterodontus zebra, has a large blunt head, low supra-orbital crest gradually sloping behind eyes, dorsal fin spines, anal fin, and zebra-pattern of dark, narrow vertical bands on a pale background (Ref. 9838; 6871). As characteristic of members of the family, caudal fin with a moderately long dorsal lobe and moderately long ventral lobe, the latter shorter than the dorsal lobe, vertebral axis raised into caudal-fin lobe (Ref.9838). |
| Biology: |
A common but little-known shark found on the continental and insular shelves in depths down to at least 50 m (Ref. 247, 11230) in the South China Sea, but deeper and in 150 - 200 meters off Western Australia (Ref. 43278). Probably feeds on bottom invertebrates and small fishes (Ref. 6871). Oviparous (Ref. 247). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 05 May 2020 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
traumatogenic |
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