Hemiscyllium dudgeonae

Hemiscyllium dudgeonae Latest News

Recently, scientists have identified a new species of walking shark and named it as Hemiscyllium dudgeonae.

About Hemiscyllium dudgeonae

• It belongs to a small group of walking sharks.
• It was spotted in the waters of Milne Bay, off the southeastern tip of Papua New Guinea.
• It is locally known as “kadedekedewa,” or “lazy shark”.
• It uses its fins to stroll across the seafloor and even drag itself between shallow tide pools when the tide goes out.

What are Walking Sharks?

• Walking sharks belong to the genus Hemiscyllium,
• Distribution: It is found in the tropical waters around Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
• Features
  • They typically grow to around 28 to 32 inches (70 to 80 centimeters) long.
  • Habitat: They inhabit shallow coastal habitats, often less than 32 feet (ten meters) deep.
  • Their limited mobility is one of their defining characteristics, and individual sharks may spend their entire lives within an area measuring only a few hundred square meters.
  • They lay egg cases directly on the seafloor, so their offspring hatch close to where their parents lived. 

Source: IE

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