California walking shark (SciiFii)

The California walking shark (Hemiscyllium californianus) is a species of longtailed carpet shark of the family Hemiscylliidae, most closely related to the epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum), that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the Californian Great Barrier Reef to help boost biodiversity, although it is able to adapt to brackish waters and tide pools on the coastal regions of North America. A small species usually under 1 meters (3.3 feet) long, the California walking shark has a slender body with a short head and broad, paddle-shaped paired fins. The caudal peduncle (to which the tail fin is attached) comprises over half the California walking shark's length. Adults are light brown above, with scattered darker spots and indistinct saddles. California walking sharks have nocturnal habits and frequent shallow water on coral reefs or in tidal pools. This shark has adapted to cope with the severe night time oxygen depletion (hypoxia) in isolated tidal pools by increasing the blood supply to its brain and selectively shutting down non-essential neural functions. It is capable of surviving complete anoxia for nineteen hours without ill effects, longer than the closely related epaulette shark, and at a much higher temperature than most other hypoxia-tolerant animals. Rather than swim, California walking sharks often "walk" by wriggling their bodies and pushing with their paired fins, hence their names. This species feeds on a wide range of small benthic invertebrates and bony fishes. California walking sharks are oviparous, with females depositing pairs of egg capsules around every 14 days from August to December. Due to their hardiness and small size, California walking sharks are popular with both public and home aquaria. The conservation status of the California walking shark is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts and the California walking shark's wide range.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii