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Hasselt's bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium hasseltii) — Hemiscylliidae

Hasselt's bamboo shark

Chiloscyllium hasseltii

The Hasselt's bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium hasseltii) is a saltwater fish of the family Hemiscylliidae that grows up to 61 cm.

Length
61 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–12.0 m
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

Hasselt's bamboo shark is a small bamboo shark (Hemiscylliidae) from shallow coastal waters of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 60 cm and has a slender, brownish body bearing dark crossbars in young fish, and barbels at the nostrils. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it crawls over sand and reef bottoms with its pectoral fins and searches for small crustaceans, molluscs and worms. It lays egg capsules. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Hasselt's bamboo shark?

The Hasselt's bamboo shark has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Hasselt's bamboo shark live?

The Hasselt's bamboo shark lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Hasselt's bamboo shark get?

The Hasselt's bamboo shark grows to a maximum of about 61 cm.

Is the Hasselt's bamboo shark dangerous to humans?

No, the Hasselt's bamboo shark is harmless to humans.

Is the Hasselt's bamboo shark edible?

Yes, the Hasselt's bamboo shark is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Indonesische bamboehaai sourced
English name
Hasselt's bamboo shark sourced
Scientific name
Chiloscyllium hasseltii
Family
Hemiscylliidae
Other names
Hasselt's Bambooshark; Hasselt's bambooshark; Indonesian bamboo shark; Indonesian bambooshark verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
61.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Barbels
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
12.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Chiloscyllium

More from the family Hemiscylliidae

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