The Wobbegong
and the Carpet Sharks have much in common and are sometimes
confused. But like the Carpet Sharks the Wobbegong seem
to spread themselves on the ocean floor like a carpet,
and like a carpet, too, they are patterned for camouflage.
The Ornate Wobbegong is an elegant shark with a flattened
body having dermal lobes on the side of the head and
overall conspicuous dark, broad saddles that are dotted
with light spots and corrugated edges interspaced with
lighter areas having dark light-centered spots. Both
the first and second dorsal fins, of about equal size,
are positioned far back on the body. The mouth is in
front of the eyes behind which are well-developed spiracles,
and there are nasal barbells to help these bottom feeders
find food.
