Latin name

Chiloscyllium punctatum

Other name

Chiloscyllium punctatum

Identification

The brownbanded bamboo shark has a slender cylindrical body with no lateral or dorsal protrusions. The head has no lateral skin folds. The snout is rounded. The eyes are set dorsolaterally. There are slightly raised ridges around the eyes. There is no movable upper eyelid and no periorbital depressions. The eyes are rather large, their length is 1.5-2.4% of the length of the body. There are large spiracles behind the eyes. The gill slits are small, the fifth and fourth are close together. The nostrils are framed by antennae. The outer edge of the nostrils is surrounded by folds and grooves. The small, almost transverse mouth is located in front of the eyes and shifted to the tip of the snout. The folds of the lower lip are connected to the chin by skin folds. The lower and upper teeth are not clearly differentiated, having a central point and several lateral denticles. The distance from the tip of the snout to the pectoral fins is 16.2-18.4% of body length. The total number of vertebrae is 136-170. The number of coils of the spiral gutter is 20. 

Features of fish fins

The pectoral and ventral fins are rather large and rounded. The first dorsal fin is slightly larger than the second. There are no spines at their bases. The distance between their bases is small, slightly more than the length of the base of the first dorsal fin and equal to 9.1-12.7% of the body length. The base of the first dorsal fin begins at the level of the midpoint of the base of the pelvic fins. The height of the first and second dorsal fins is 6.8-9.9% and 6.4-8.4% of the body length respectively. The base of the long, low, keel-shaped anal fin is posterior to the base of the second dorsal fin. The length of the base of the anal fin is less than 6 times its height. The distance from the tip of the snout to the anal opening is 32.7-35.8% of the body length. The distance from the anal opening to the tip of the caudal fin is 61.1-64.4% of the body length. The caudal fin is asymmetrical with a ventral notch on the edge of the upper, elongated lobe. The lower lobe is not developed. Lateral carinae and precaudal fossa absent on caudal peduncle. 

Fish colouring

The colouration of the brownbanded bamboo shark is actually yellow-brown, and the body of juveniles is covered with dark stripes and black spots.

Distribution

Widespread in the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, off the Andaman Islands, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Komodo), Vietnam, the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, off the southern coast of New Guinea and northern Australia (Northern Territories, Western Australia, Queensland). 

Habitat

A marine tropical species, it is found in coastal waters on coral reefs, but can swim to depths of up to 85 metres. 

Size

Maximum recorded size is 121 cm. Maximum life expectancy in captivity is about 25 years.

Behavior

Brownbanded bamboo sharks are solitary and nocturnal. They are often found in underwater crevices and caves. These sharks can stay airborne for up to 12 hours, allowing them to survive in coastal areas. 

Food and feeding habits

These sharks prey on bony fish and bottom dwelling invertebrates. 

Reproduction

They reproduce by laying round eggs measuring 11x5 cm. Newborn fish are 13-17 cm long. Males and females reach sexual maturity when they reach 68-76 cm and 62.9 cm respectively. 

Fishing

It is commercially fished in the waters of India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. It is also commonly caught in Australia by seine and hook-and-line. 

Relationship with a person

The flesh of these fish is eaten as food. They are suitable for keeping in home aquariums where they can reproduce. 

The main threat to this species is habitat degradation, particularly reef destruction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed this species as Near Threatened.