Chiloscyllium arabicum Gubanov, 1980
Arabian carpetshark
Chiloscyllium arabicum
photo by Randall, J.E.

Family:  Hemiscylliidae (Bamboo sharks)
Max. size:  62 cm TL (male/unsexed); 89 cm TL (female); max.weight: 645.0 g; max.weight: 2,600.0 g
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 2 - 100 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: India, Pakistan, and the Persian Gulf between Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0. Mouth well in front of eyes; spineless dorsal fins far posterior on tail; greatly elongated thick precaudal tail, long and low anal fin just anterior to caudal fin, prominent predorsal and interdorsal ridges on back, dorsal fins with nearly straight posterior margins, first dorsal-fin origin opposite or just behind pelvic fin insertions, second dorsal fin usually with a longer base than first; no color pattern (Ref. 43278).
Biology:  Inhabits coral reefs, rocky shores, and mangrove estuaries. Free-living at 10.1 cm TL. Feeds on squid, shelled molluscs, crustaceans, and snake eels (Ref. 43278). Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Of minimal interest to fisheries (Ref. 43278). Caught rarely by demersal trammel and trawl fisheries operating inshore. Utilized for its meat and possibly fins, but of limited value due to its small size (Ref.58048).
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 09 February 2017 (A2cd+3cd) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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