The tasseled wobbegong shark is an exceptional predator of coral reefs.
It looks so elaborate, with fringed lobes around its head, making it as similar to the reef as possible.
Though it reaches up to 5.9 feet in length, it can be almost invisible to both prey and divers.
Camouflage is the shark’s strong point. The wobbegong rests in caves during the day, coming alive at night when it hunts opportunistically.
Even more interesting is its luring-one-in behavior: waving its tail to mimic a smaller fish, luring prey directly into its enormous mouth.
Generally passive, wobbegongs are quite dangerous to humans-especially so when disturbed.
They have attacked divers a few times, mistaking the limbs for prey.
Unfortunately, habitat degradation and fisheries threaten the species. As coral reefs disappear, so do these master hunters of the seafloor.
Be careful around their home, for they may be closer than you think.
