Book 6, Question 61
Why Do Some Sharks Look Like Carpets?
Carpet sharks, such as wobbegongs, have blotchy, patterned skin and little tassels around the mouth. That makes them look just like the reef floor. Prey swims close, and the shark is already there!
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Wobbegong sharks are nicknamed carpet sharks because of their shaggy look.
- Wobbegongs are so well camouflaged that a diver may not notice one until it seems to appear out of nowhere.
- Divers on Australia's Great Barrier Reef photographed a tasseled wobbegong swallowing a bamboo shark whole.
- Leopard sharks are named for the spotted pattern on their skin.
- Chimaeras, called ghost sharks, are not true sharks. They have tooth plates instead of teeth.
- Sharks evolved before the dinosaurs, and even before trees.
Sources: Science News Explores, National Geographic, NOAA
Questions kids ask
Why is a wobbegong called a carpet shark?
Its shaggy, patterned body looks like a rug lying on the seafloor.