Port Jackson Shark
Category: Shark
Facts about the Port Jackson Shark. The Port Jackson Shark is a Bull-head Shark that is found in Southern Australia. The Port Jackson Shark is an egg laying Shark but it has all the features of most fish in its range. Also, the Port Jackson Shark operates mostly at night. This makes it difficult to be able to observe it in the wild except on rare occasions. The Port Jackson Shark can grow up to 5.5 feet long and it has a grey-brown body. The Port Jackson Shark feeds on Sea Urchins, Mollusks, Fish, and Crustaceans. It is usually not safe to keep the Port Jackson Shark in a tank. If this fish must be domesticated, it is better to have a very large water area where you can preserve it.
The Port Jackson Shark likes a rocky environment and is usually found close to the Sea bed. The Port Jackson Shark has been sighted in the coasts of New Zealand but it is predominantly found in Australia. It is essential to mention that the Port Jackson Shark can also dwell in areas that have Sea grass and Mud but these are rare. It prefers to be in its feeding environment. The Port Jackson Shark has five set of gills and its teeth formation is different from what you find in other sharks. The upper region is sharp and pointed while the latter has a flat shape.
The Port Jackson Shark can reach Sexual maturity when the female is about 11 to 14 while the male is from 8 to 10. The Port Jackson Shark has an annual breeding cycle. This comes around late August to the middle of November. As has been mentioned earlier, the Port Jackson Shark does not give birth to live young ones. The Port Jackson Shark lay eggs which go through the normal process of fertilization. The mortality rate of the eggs is high and this is as a result of the works of predators.
Generally, the female Port Jackson Shark can lay up to 8 pairs of eggs. These eggs take about 10 to 11 months to mature. They are hatched and become known as Neonates. Also, this fish has a very interesting digestive system. When it ingests food, it goes into its J-shaped stomach. However, any material to appear harmful to it can easily be coughed up. The Port Jackson Shark can turn their stomachs inside out to remove any harmful material. This method can be seen as a very strong defensive mechanism. It can survive the most brutal poisonous substance due to this feature.
The Port Jackson Shark is not dangerous to human beings. It does not have the capacity to serve as a predator to man due to its size. In a particular incident where it attacked a man; it was noticed that it could only pierce his skin but was no harm to the man. Also, there have been many studies that shows that it prefers to survive on other kinds of food. The Port Jackson Shark is very interesting specie that deserves a good mention whenever sublime fish are mentioned. It might not be good to be placed in a tank but it also gives a very engaging experience for those who come across it in the wild.