Fairly stout body with a greatly elongated, thick precaudal tail. Mouth well in front of the eyes, big spiracles below the eyes. Snout rounded anteriorly. Both dorsal fins equal-sized, rounded, somewhat smaller than pelvic fins. No dorsal spines. Origin of first dorsal fin over the insertion of pelvic fins. Anal fin just ahead of the caudal fin.
Coloration
Adults are entirely brown with no color pattern. Juveniles show dark transverse bands.
Distribution
Indo-Western Pacific: Iran, Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, Philippines, Papua New Guinea.
Biology
A common species. Lives in inshore waters, at the bottom.
Diet
Feeds mainly on invertebrates.
Size
Maximum size at least 74 cm.
Reproduction
Egg laying (oviparous). Deposits its oval eggs at the bottom.
Similar Species
Similar (based on coloration) to the Arabian carpetshark but that species has dorsal fins that are larger than the pelvic fins.
Vulnerability
Category:Vulnerable (VU) Criteria:A2d Last evaluated:2020 Trend:
