# Whitespotted Bamboo Shark (*chiloscyllium plagiosum*)

The Whitespotted Bamboo Shark is a unique and friendly-looking fish with beautiful white spots! It loves to hide among the corals and explore its underwater home.

- **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Warm shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific, often near coral reefs.
- **Also known as:** Spotted Bamboo Shark, Whitespotted Shark

![Whitespotted Bamboo Shark](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Chiloscyllium_plagiosum_newport.jpg&width=800)

Photo: yvonne n from Willowick, usa, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chiloscyllium_plagiosum_newport.jpg)

## Appearance

The Whitespotted Bamboo Shark has a slender body, typically brown or grey, covered in numerous small white spots. It often displays darker bands across its back, which fade with age. Its flattened head and barbels near its mouth give it a distinct bottom-dwelling appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Elasmobranchii
- **Order:** Orectolobiformes
- **Family:** Hemiscylliidae
- **Genus:** Chiloscyllium

## Interesting facts

- Its egg cases, called 'mermaid's purses', look like tiny, rectangular leathery pouches!
- These sharks have tiny teeth, perfect for crunching on small crabs and worms!
- They are nocturnal hunters, coming out at night to search for their hidden prey!
- Wow, it can survive a short time out of water if trapped in a shallow tide pool!

## Special abilities

- **Camouflage Master:** Whitespotted Bamboo Shark has a spotted pattern that helps them blend perfectly with coral reefs and rocky seabeds.
- **Bottom Walker:** Whitespotted Bamboo Shark can 'walk' on its pectoral and pelvic fins, moving slowly across the ocean floor to find food.
- **Stationary Breather:** Whitespotted Bamboo Shark can pump water over its gills while still, allowing it to rest without constantly swimming.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 70-104 cm
- **Weight:** 1-5 kg
- **Lifespan:** 15-25 years
- **Swim Speed:** 3 km/h
- **Maximum Depth:** 100 m
- **Water Type:** Saltwater

## Diet & Feeding

This shark loves to munch on small critters found hiding in the sand and rocks.

- **Primary Foods:** Shrimp, Crabs, Worms, Small fish, Mollusks
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** Flower Crab (*Portunus pelagicus*) — A primary food source.
- **Eats:** Giant Tiger Prawn (*Penaeus monodon*) — Often found in their benthic habitat.
- **Eaten by:** [Blacktip Reef Shark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blacktip-reef-shark) (*Carcharhinus melanopterus*) — Smaller sharks are prey for larger reef sharks.

## Traits

- [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color.
- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
- [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.

## Collections

- [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Whitespotted Bamboo Shark?

Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Whitespotted Bamboo Shark?

70-104 cm

### How much does Whitespotted Bamboo Shark weigh?

1-5 kg

### How long does Whitespotted Bamboo Shark live?

15-25 years

### What does Whitespotted Bamboo Shark eat?

This shark loves to munch on small critters found hiding in the sand and rocks.

### How fast can Whitespotted Bamboo Shark swim?

3 km/h

### Where is Whitespotted Bamboo Shark usually found?

Warm shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific, often near coral reefs.

### How does Whitespotted Bamboo Shark hunt?

Foraging

## More Fish

- [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*)
- [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*)
- [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*)
- [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*)

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Source: [Whitespotted Bamboo Shark: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/whitespotted-bamboo-shark)