1. Family Parascylliidae The Collared Carpetsharks
Sara McCutcheon

2. Taxanomy Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Parascylliidae
Genera: 2 – Cirrhoscyllium and Parascyllium
Species: 7 (3 + 4)

3. Parascylliidae Characteristics
Small, slender sharks
<1m TL
No nictitating eyelid
Tiny spiracles
Nostrils connected to mouth through nasoral groove

4. Distinctive Features Cirrhoscyllium spp.
Dark saddles, no spots, no collar markings
Unique paired barbels on throat
Parascyllium spp.
Pattern of saddles and spots
Spots on caudal fin
No barbels on throat

5. Cirrhoscyllium Throat Barbels
No muscles, taste buds, or sensory receptors associated with barbels
Sensory organ that responds to physical and mechanical stimulation
Not homologous to head appendages from related shark groups

6. Parascyllium spp.
P. ferrugineum
P. collare
P. variolatum

7. Distribution of Cirrhoscyllium
Cirrhoscyllium spp. found from Vietnam to Taiwan Island and Japan
C. expolitum
C. formosanum
C. japonicum

8. Distribution of Parascyllium
Parascyllium spp. are endemic to Australia
P. sparsimaculatum
P. collare
P. ferrugineum
P. variolatum

9. Habitat/Behavior Benthic
Inshore to fairly deep continental shelf (1-435m)
Cirrhoscyllium cool, outer shelf benthic
Parascyllium variety of habitats: sand, rock reef, kelp beds, and seagrass beds
At least 2 species are nocturnal
Can change color to camouflage

10. Diet Food habits are largely unknown
Presumed they prey upon benthic crustaceans, molluscs, and teleosts

11. Reproduction Some (probably all) are oviparous
Bulbous eggcase with 2 (sometimes 3) horns
Oviposition rates vary from days (lab)
1-2 eggs deposited each time
Population doubling time ~ years

12. Conservation Not targeted by fisheries Should be rare in bycatch
Cirrhoscyllium spp. are not listed on the IUCN redlist
Parascyllium spp. are listed as either data deficient or least concern

13. Any Questions?