Carpet Shark New Zealand

The new zealand carpet shark is also found in southern australia.
Carpet shark new zealand. Te ara the encyclopedia of new zealand. In shape the carpet shark somewhat approaches the spreading form of a sting ray. It is brown mottled and spotted with darker brown. Nurse sharks and whale sharks have a fringe of barbels on their snouts and barbelthroat carpet sharks cirrhoscyllium expolitum have barbels dangling from their throat regions.
Carpets are largely nocturnal and always look like a deer in the headlights when dragged up the beach in daylight. Carpet shark cephaloscyllium isabellum from an encyclopaedia of new zealand edited by a. The australian carpet classification scheme accs grades all carpet fibres and blends. So it is perfectly ok to eat.
It uses records dating back to the early 1800s to show the areas with the most attacks and fatalities. How to cite this page. Carpet sharks are another commonly encountered species particularly from wellington south. These schemes test the carpet for its appearance retention its durability and its resistance to dirt and insect damage and fading.
According to the late david h. By arthur william baden powell assistant director auckland institute and museum. These are a true nuisance fish they fight poorly don t grow especially large and have very limited culinary value. Mann noble.
Since records began new zealand has suffered 12 fatal shark attacks dating back to the 1850s with at least 50 non fatal attacks recorded. No 1 southridge unit estate. Its appearance is somewhat grotesque and generally off putting to most surfcasters who are usually more inclined to let them go than take one home for dinner. Most carpet sharks feed on the seabed in shallow to medium depth waters detecting and picking up molluscs and crustaceans and other small creatures.
The body is flattened dorsally and the tail resembles that of a dogfish. New zealand s last fatal attack was in february 2013. A chilling map of new zealand shark attacks shows where you re most likely to be bitten. This rather brightly coloured carpet shark was caught in akaroa harbour.