Swellshark
Cephaloscyllium ventriosum
- Group: Shark
- Typical depth: 5–457 m
- Max size: 1.1 m
- For divers: safe
- IUCN status: LC
The swellshark spends the day resting in rocky kelp beds, sometimes piled together in aggregations, and hunts bony fishes by night. When threatened it gulps water or air to swell its body and wedge itself into a crevice, and females lay tough egg cases that can hatch even in captivity.
Taxonomy: Animalia › Chordata › Elasmobranchii › Carcharhiniformes › Scyliorhinidae › Cephaloscyllium
Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 277105.
FAQ
- How deep does the Swellshark live?
- The Swellshark (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum) is typically found at 5–457 m.
- Is the Swellshark dangerous to divers?
- The Swellshark is harmless to divers.
- How big does the Swellshark get?
- The Swellshark grows to about 1.1 m.