Name: Zebra shark, leopard shark
Scientific Name: Stegostoma fasciatum (Hermann, 1783)
Family: Stegostomatidae
Group: Sharks, rays and chimaeras
Class: Fish
Size: 201-400 cm.
Juvenile zebra sharks have a black body with light vertical bands, similar to that of a zebra. Only as adults do they acquire the light tone with dark spots, characteristic of the species. They are harmless animals, which swim slowly and during the day it is common to find them on the sea floor, with their mouths turned against the current, in order to breathe effortlessly. Their very flexible body and tail permit them to sneak inside narrow cracks and holes, where they search for prey. The eggs are protected by capsules and deposited on the sea floor, where they stay attached until hatching.
Photo by:
Andy Murch
Global Ocean
