Eucrossorhinus dasypogon
Silhouette: Lankester Edwin Ray (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon) is a species of carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae and the only extant member of the genus Eucrossorhinus. It inhabits shallow coral reefs off northern Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands. Reaching 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in length, this species has a broad and flattened body and head. Its most distinctive trait is a fringe of branching dermal flaps around its head, which extends onto its chin. The fringe, along with its complex color pattern of small blotches and reticulations, enable it to camouflage itself against the reef environment.
During the day, the solitary tasselled wobbegong can generally be found lying inside caves or under ledges with its tail curled. Individual sharks tend to remain within a local area and have favored resting spots. While resting, it opportunistically ambushes nearby fish and invertebrates, and also lures in prey by waving its tail to mimic the appearance of a small fish. At night, it emerges and actively forages for food. This species is aplacental viviparous, though little is known of its life history. The tasselled wobbegong has been reported to bite and kill humans unprovoked, although such has only been reported once in 1940. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed this species as Near Threatened in 2003, as outside of Australia it is threatened by fisheries and habitat degradation. As of 2015, its IUCN status is Least Concern. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 2 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Maryland Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | L'Oceanogràfic | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Seaquarium du Grau-du-Roi | 🇫🇷 France |
Very likely
About 90% of wildlife watchers report a Tasselled Wobbegong sighting in Raja Ampat on a given day, based on 273 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 12 sharks and rays we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March and December–January
In those months over 90% of wildlife watchers report a Tasselled Wobbegong in Raja Ampat on a given day, against about 90% in February and April–November, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tasselled Wobbegong sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Tasselled Wobbegong sightings, Raja Ampat has the highest daily chance: about 90%. Next come Ningaloo Marine Park (Australia, about 40%).
Same order: Orectolobiformes
The closest relatives of the Tasselled Wobbegong that you can see in Raja Ampat (order Orectolobiformes, Carpet Sharks) are Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark (about 80%) and catshark (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tasselled Wobbegong is recorded against all the sharks and rays logged in Raja Ampat (273 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
