Redescription of two species of wobbegongs (Chondrichthyes: Orectolobidae) with elevation of Orectolobus halei Whitley 1940 to species level

Abstract

Two closely related species of the genus Orectolobus (Orectolobidae), O. ornatus (De Vis) and O. halei Whitley, are redescribed based on fresh material from temperate eastern Australia. Although described as a subspecies by Whitley (1940), O. halei was formerly synonymized with O. ornatus because of the lack of research material to assess their conspecificity. Due to its smaller size, O. ornatus was previously thought to be the juvenile form of the larger O. halei. Orectolobus ornatus occurs from Port Douglas, (Queensland) to Sydney (New South Wales) whereas O. halei occurs from Southport (Queensland) around the southern coast to Norwegian Bay (Western Australia). Both species are commercially targeted within the hook and line fishery off New South Wales. Orectolobus ornatus differs from O. halei in color pattern, a smaller adult size, fewer dermal lobes at the posterior preorbital group, lower vertebral and spiral valve counts, and the absence of supraorbital knob. Morphometrically, O. ornatus has a longer pelvic fin to anal fin interspace, smaller pectoral fins, smaller head dimensions, and relatively smaller claspers in mature specimens.