Heterodontus zebra

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	CHONDRICHTHYES	HETERODONTIFORMES	HETERODONTIDAE

Scientific Name:

Heterodontus zebra

Species Authority:

(Gray, 1831)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Barred Bull-head Shark, Barred Shark, Bullhead Shark, Cat Shark, Little Shark, Striped Bullhead Shark, Striped Cat Shark, Zebra Bullhead Shark, Zebra Horn Shark, Zebra Port Jackson Shark
French	–	Requin Dormeur Zèbre
Spanish	–	Dormilón Acebrado

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2003
Assessor/s	Barratt, P. & Cavanagh, R.D. (SSG Australia & Oceania Regional Workshop, March 2003)
Evaluator/s:	Cavanagh, R.D. & Fowler, S.L. (Shark Red List Authority)
Justification: A wide-ranging and apparently common shallow-water Western Pacific species. Although of little interest to commercial fisheries, Heterondontus zebra is caught as bycatch of demersal trawlers and possibly other fisheries, and could be under some threat from destructive fishing practices and habitat degradation in Indonesia. However, this species is common within its range, is probably relatively fecund (an oviparous species) and is assessed as Least Concern because there seem to be no major threats to its populations at the present time.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Western Pacific from Japan, Korea, China, Viet Nam and Indonesia. Also known from northern Western Australia.
Countries:	Native: Australia; China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea, Republic of; Viet Nam
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Indian Ocean – eastern; Pacific – northwest; Pacific – western central

Population [top]

Population:	No data are available on population size or subpopulations though it is known to be common within its range.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	A common but little-known bottom shark of continental and insular shelves. It is mostly found in depths shallower than 50 m, although recorded recently from the continental shelf of northern Western Australia in 150 to 200 m. Maximum total length (TL) about 122 cm and males mature at 64 to 84 cm. Hatchlings at least 15 cm. Heterodontus zebra is oviparous but details of spawning are not known. It probably feeds on invertebrates and small fishes, as with other members of the family.
Systems:	Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

A common but little-known bottom shark of continental and insular shelves. It is mostly found in depths shallower than 50 m, although recorded recently from the continental shelf of northern Western Australia in 150 to 200 m. Maximum total length (TL) about 122 cm and males mature at 64 to 84 cm. Hatchlings at least 15 cm. Heterodontus zebra is oviparous but details of spawning are not known. It probably feeds on invertebrates and small fishes, as with other members of the family.

Systems:

Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	H. zebra is of little interest to commercial fisheries, but is caught as bycatch by commercial trawlers and possibly other fisheries in its range. It may also be under threat from destructive fishing practices within its range in Indonesia such as cyanide and dynamite fishing, and habitat destruction. Utilization in aquarium trade is not recorded, but the species is an obvious candidate because of its attractive colour pattern.

Major Threat(s):

H. zebra is of little interest to commercial fisheries, but is caught as bycatch by commercial trawlers and possibly other fisheries in its range. It may also be under threat from destructive fishing practices within its range in Indonesia such as cyanide and dynamite fishing, and habitat destruction.

Utilization in aquarium trade is not recorded, but the species is an obvious candidate because of its attractive colour pattern.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are currently no conservation measures in place for this species.

Conservation Actions:

There are currently no conservation measures in place for this species.

Citation:	Barratt, P. & Cavanagh, R.D. 2003. Heterodontus zebra. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 January 2009.
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