| Port Jackson shark | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Heterodontiformes |
| Family: | Heterodontidae |
| Genus: | Heterodontus |
| Species: | H. portusjacksoni
|
| Binomial name | |
| Heterodontus portusjacksoni (F. A. A. Meyer, 1793)
| |
| |
| Range of Port Jackson shark (in blue) | |
The Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) is a nocturnal,[2] oviparous (egg laying) type of bullhead shark of the family Heterodontidae, found in the coastal region of southern Australia, including the waters off Port Jackson. It has a large, blunt head with prominent forehead ridges and dark brown harness-like markings on a lighter grey-brown body,[3] and can grow up to 1.65 metres (5.5 ft) long.[4] They are the largest in the genus Heterodontus.[5]
The Port Jackson shark is a migratory species, traveling south in the summer and returning north to breed in the winter. It feeds on hard-shelled mollusks, crustaceans, sea urchins, and fish. Identification of this species is very easy due to the pattern of harness-like markings that cross the eyes, run along the back to the first dorsal fin, then cross the side of the body, in addition to the spine in front of both dorsal fins.
- ^ Huveneers, C. & Simpfendorfer, C. (2015). "Heterodontus portusjacksoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T39334A68625721. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T39334A68625721.en.
- ^ Kadar, Julianna; Ladds, Monique; Mourier, Johann; Day, Joanna; Brown, Culum (2019). "Acoustic accelerometry reveals diel activity patterns in premigratory Port Jackson sharks". Ecology and Evolution. 9 (16): 8933–8944. doi:10.1002/ece3.5323. ISSN 2045-7758. PMC 6706188. PMID 31462992.
- ^ Kindersley, Dorling (2001). Animal. New York City: DK Publishing. ISBN 0-7894-7764-5.
- ^ Carpenter, Kent E.; Luna, Susan M. (2019). Froese, R; Pauly, D. (eds.). "Heterodontus portusjacksoni (Meyer, 1793)". Fishbase. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- ^ "Heterodontus portusjacksoni (Bullhead)". Animal Diversity Web.