The mention of the word ‘shark’ conjures up images of a ferocious, powerful beast with large and sharp teeth. However, nothing could be more different than the epaulette shark also known as the walking shark. This shark tends to be a lot smaller than her much larger and more famous relatives, only measuring 27 to 35 inches (70 to 90 cm) in length.
The walking shark is a long tailed carpet shark. The family is Hemiscyllidae and it was first described by a French naturalist as Squalus Ocellatus in the year 1788. Their bodies are slender and they have heads that are short and broad. Their fins are paddle shaped and come in pairs. The tail fin makes up half the sharks total body length.
Commonly referred to as the epaulette shark, it derives its name from a spot that is found right behind its pectoral fins, which is a large black spot with white margins. These marks have been compared to the ornamental decorative shoulder pieces worn by the armed forces to show rank.
Even though this shark can swim, they have a preference for walking along the coral or sandy bottom even in places with deep water where they can swim freely. They walk on their fins swinging their bodies from one side to the other, as they prey on small fish, worms and crustaceans.
Even though this shark can swim, they have a preference for walking along the coral or sandy bottom even in places with deep water where they can swim freely. They walk on their fins swinging their bodies from one side to the other, as they prey on small fish, worms and crustaceans.
The walking fish evolved this ability as they navigated the very complex and tough reef system made up of narrow passages and maze like crevices and cracks. When the tide is low, they walk from one rock pool to the other on land. In order to survive in places where the oxygen levels are low such as a rock pool, they drop their ventilation and breathing rate quite sharply.
The juveniles tend to be lighter in color and have more bands, while adults can be brown or beige, have multiple spots and darker bands. This coloration is a form of protective camouflage from predators. The various spots look like eyes, which distracts predators.
These are nocturnal creatures, therefore, it is easier to spot them at night. They are usually found under coral and inside small crevices. Since they are quite fast, it is advisable to approach slowly.
New species of walking sharks continue to be identified. In 2006, a new species was discovered in Raja Ampat. Named Hemiscyllium Freycineti, this Indonesian speckled walking shark is commonly referred to as Kalabia. In the year 2013, another species, Hemiscyllium Halmahera, was discovered in the Halmahera and Ternate Islands in North Maluku.
