Chiloscyllium indicum (Gmelin 1789)

Interest to fisheries considerable. Regularly taken in inshore fisheries in India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and utilized for human food. Conservation Status : Conservation status unknown.

A common but little-known inshore bottom shark. It possibly may occur in fresh water in the lower reaches of the Perak River in peninsular Malaysia. Oviparous.

Maximum total length about 65 cm; freeliving individual 13 cm but size at hatching unknown; males maturing between 39 and 42 cm and reaching at least 54 cm; adult female 43 cm.

Indo-West Pacific: Possibly Arabian Sea and India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, ?Malaysia, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Taiwan Island (Province of China), China, ?Republic of Korea, ?Japan, ?Philippines, ?Solomon Islands.

fieldmarks: Mouth well in front of eyes; spineless dorsal fins far posterior on tail, greatly elongated slender precaudal tail, long and low anal fin just anterior to caudal fin, lateral ridges on trunk, dorsal fins with straight or convex posterior margins, first dorsal-fin origin opposite or just behind pelvic-fin insertions; colour pattern of numerous small dark spots, saddles, and dashes. Prepectoral length 15.2 to 18.0% of total length. Snout narrowly rounded anteriorly. Eyes moderately large, lengths 1.4 to 1.9% of total length. Body and tail very slender. A lateral ridge present on each side of trunk, and strong predorsal and interdorsal ridges on midline of back. Interdorsal space fairly long, nearly twice first dorsal-fin base and 10 to 12% of total length. Snout to vent length 32.4 to 35.1% of total length; distance from vent to tail tip 62.3 to 67.0% of total length. Dorsal fins small and rounded, subequal to or smaller than pelvic fins, and without concave posterior margins and projecting free rear tips. First dorsal-fin origin over or behind pelvic-fin insertions, first dorsal-fin base slightly longer than second dorsal-fin base, first dorsal-fin height 3.9 to 5.4% of total length. Second dorsal-fin height 3.9 to 5.1% of total length. Origin of anal fin far behind free rear tip of second dorsal fin, anal-fin length from origin to free rear tip about equal to or greater than hypural caudal lobe from lower caudal-fin origin to subterminal notch, anal-fin base over six times anal-fin height. Total vertebral count between 166 and 170 (mean = 167.0, n = 4). Intestinal valve count 14 to 15 (n = 6). Colour pattern of numerous dark brown or blackish spots, dashes and bars on light brown background present in juveniles and adults; saddle-markings or bars of young without prominent black edging.

A common, but little-known inshore sluggish bottom shark (Ref. 13575) found on sandy and muddy bottoms of coastal waters, bays and inlets and rocky and coral reefs. Probably mainly feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates (Ref. 13575), also small fishes.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 0

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Oviparous, deposits eggs in small, oval egg cases on the bottom (Ref. 247). Paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).

Genus: Nostrils subterminal on snout; pre-oral snout long, mouth closer to eyes than snout tip; eyes and supraorbital ridges hardly elevated; no black hood on head or large spot or spots on sides of body above pectoral fins (Ref. 43278). Caudal fin with a pronounced subterminal notch but without a ventral lobe (Ref. 13575). Species: Light brown above, cream below, with numerous dark spots on body, tail, and fins, these often forming indistinct vertical bars and saddles (Ref. 31575). Dermal ridge on middle of back and two low lateral ridges (Ref. 4832).

A common, but little-known inshore sluggish bottom shark (Ref. 13575) found on sandy and muddy bottoms of coastal waters, bays and inlets and rocky and coral reefs. Probably mainly feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates (Ref. 13575), also small fishes. Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Utilized for human consumption (Ref. 247). Possibly may occur in fresh water in the lower reaches of the Perak River in peninsular Malaysia (Ref. 43278).

fisheries: commercial

分布於印度-西太平洋區，自阿拉伯海到印度、斯里蘭卡、新加坡、泰國、越南、印尼、臺灣、菲律賓以及所羅門群島；日本及韓國可能也有分布。臺灣分布於北部、東北部及澎湖海域。

主要以底拖網或沈底刺網捕獲，一般被利用加工為鯊魚醃或製成魚槳、魚丸等，大型水族館偶有展示。

體呈圓柱形或稍平扁；體側具一隆脊；頭側不具皮瓣。吻窄圓。眼橢圓形，上側位，無瞬膜。鼻孔下側位，鼻孔緣具短而尖凸之鬚；具鼻褶；具口鼻溝。噴水孔中大，約等於眼徑。鰓裂小，第四及第五鰓裂重疊，內鰓不具濾器。口裂小，腹位，近於平直。齒具中央齒尖，側邊小齒尖或有或無。背鰭2個，小而上角鈍圓，後端平直，下角不尖突，第一背鰭起點在腹鰭基底之後；第二背鰭起點在腹鰭與臀鰭間；胸鰭與腹鰭略小，兩鰭同大或胸鰭略大；臀鰭小，起點遠於第二背鰭後角之後，基底長約與尾鰭下葉等長，而與尾鰭下葉之起點僅以一窄凹窪分隔，其間距遠短於臀鰭基底長；尾鰭上葉略往上揚，上葉略發達，腹緣明顯；尾鰭下葉低平而延長，但前部不突出，後部具缺刻。體呈灰褐色，體表及各鰭具許多黑褐色之斑點和條紋。

主要棲息於沿海砂泥底底棲中小型鯊魚。行動緩慢。生態習性不甚清楚，可能以底棲無脊椎動物及小魚為食。卵生。

The slender bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium indicum, is a bamboo shark in the family Hemiscylliidae found in the Indo-West Pacific Oceans between latitudes 40° N and 10° S, and longitude 65° E and 160° E. It is harmless to humans.