Order ORECTOLOBIFORMES
Carpet sharks
The only sharks with 2 spineless dorsal fins, an anal fin,
and a short mouth situated well in front of eyes. Five pairs of
gill slits on sides of head; teeth in rear of mouth not
expanded to molar-like crushers. Oviparous, eggs deposited in oval cases, or ovoviviparous. Adults 33 cm to
possibly 18 m in length. Inshore benthic and oceanic sharks
with a circumtropical distribution; 2 to 7 families, depending on the classification; 13 genera and about 33 species.
Family No.7: ORECTOLOBIDAE
by A.J. Bass
Carpet sharks
Tapythaaie
Sluggish, bottom-living sharks. Nostrils with distinct barbels and continuous with mouth. Second dorsal and anal
fins relatively larger. Anal fin sometimes appearing to be
part of lower caudal. No precaudal pits. No nictitans. Teeth
multicuspid, in several functional series. Several genera,
many species, 4 in our general area. Some workers put these
species in 3 different families.
KEY TO GENERA
1a Spiracle minute, its length less than half of eye diameter ............ 2
1b Spiracle large, its length equal to half or more of eye diameter .... 3
2a First D origin over or in front of V origin; A origin
under centre of 2nd Dbase .......................................... Nebrius
2b First D origin behind V origin; A origin under
2nd D origin ................................................. Ginglymostoma
C> T
Tapythaaie
3a Lower lip grooves continuous across chin; spiracle
under eye; C shorter than body less head ................ Chiloscyllium
3b Lower lip grooves separate, not continuous across chin;
spiracle behind eye; C longer than body less head ........ Stegostoma
Genus Chiloscy/lium Muller & Henle, 1837
The 3 species recorded by Smith: C. plagiosum SFSA No.
31 *; C. griseum SFSA No. 32* and C. indicum SFSA No. 33*
apparently do not occur here; only 1 species near our area.
7.1 Chiloscyllium caerulopunctatum
Pellegrin, 1914
Bluespotted catshark
Blouspikkel-kathaai
Chiloscyllium caerulopunctatum Pellegrin, 1914: 230 (Fort Dauphin,
Madagascar); Bass et aI., 1975: 49*.
Anal fin almost continuous with lower caudal.
Light brown above, paler below, with blue-white spots.
Known only from a 67-cm female from southern Madagascar.
Genus Ginglymostoma Muller & Henle, 1837
Two species; 1 from warm water of Atlantic and eastern
Pacific and 1 may be found in our area.
7.1 Chiloseyllium eaeruleopunetatum: 67 em female (S. Madagascar). Ventral view of head; T = tooth, d = denticles.
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Carpet sharks
The only sharks with 2 spineless dorsal fins, an anal fin,
and a short mouth situated well in front of eyes. Five pairs of
gill slits on sides of head; teeth in rear of mouth not
expanded to molar-like crushers. Oviparous, eggs deposited in oval cases, or ovoviviparous. Adults 33 cm to
possibly 18 m in length. Inshore benthic and oceanic sharks
with a circumtropical distribution; 2 to 7 families, depending on the classification; 13 genera and about 33 species.
Family No.7: ORECTOLOBIDAE
by A.J. Bass
Carpet sharks
Tapythaaie
Sluggish, bottom-living sharks. Nostrils with distinct barbels and continuous with mouth. Second dorsal and anal
fins relatively larger. Anal fin sometimes appearing to be
part of lower caudal. No precaudal pits. No nictitans. Teeth
multicuspid, in several functional series. Several genera,
many species, 4 in our general area. Some workers put these
species in 3 different families.
KEY TO GENERA
1a Spiracle minute, its length less than half of eye diameter ............ 2
1b Spiracle large, its length equal to half or more of eye diameter .... 3
2a First D origin over or in front of V origin; A origin
under centre of 2nd Dbase .......................................... Nebrius
2b First D origin behind V origin; A origin under
2nd D origin ................................................. Ginglymostoma
C> T
Tapythaaie
3a Lower lip grooves continuous across chin; spiracle
under eye; C shorter than body less head ................ Chiloscyllium
3b Lower lip grooves separate, not continuous across chin;
spiracle behind eye; C longer than body less head ........ Stegostoma
Genus Chiloscy/lium Muller & Henle, 1837
The 3 species recorded by Smith: C. plagiosum SFSA No.
31 *; C. griseum SFSA No. 32* and C. indicum SFSA No. 33*
apparently do not occur here; only 1 species near our area.
7.1 Chiloscyllium caerulopunctatum
Pellegrin, 1914
Bluespotted catshark
Blouspikkel-kathaai
Chiloscyllium caerulopunctatum Pellegrin, 1914: 230 (Fort Dauphin,
Madagascar); Bass et aI., 1975: 49*.
Anal fin almost continuous with lower caudal.
Light brown above, paler below, with blue-white spots.
Known only from a 67-cm female from southern Madagascar.
Genus Ginglymostoma Muller & Henle, 1837
Two species; 1 from warm water of Atlantic and eastern
Pacific and 1 may be found in our area.
7.1 Chiloseyllium eaeruleopunetatum: 67 em female (S. Madagascar). Ventral view of head; T = tooth, d = denticles.
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