DiscoverSpeciesSharks and rays
Western Wobbegong
Orectolobus hutchinsi
- Usual depth3–79 m
- Water temperature20–23 °C
- Best monthsJanuary, March, and December
- How commonRare
Photo credit: (c) Belinda Forbes, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
About this species
Orectolobus hutchinsi, the western wobbegong, is a species of carpet shark in the family Orectolobidae. The western wobbegong shark is a moderate sized marine shark found off the coast of Western Australia. Its scientific name is Orectolobus hutchinsi, and it was first identified in 1983 by Dr. Barry Hutchins, but was only recently classified, described, and published in 2006. O. hutchinsi is found on the shallow continental shelf in Western Australia from Coral Bay to Groper Bluff. This species is distinct from other wobbegong sharks because the western wobbegong shark has a yellowish brown upper body and darker brown saddles on their backs. Unlike other wobbegong sharks from the same area, the western wobbegong shark does not have white rings or blotches on their backs.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Orectolobus hutchinsi”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 8 records
- February: 6 records
- March: 13 records
- April: 8 records
- May: 1 records
- June: 4 records
- July: 3 records
- August: 6 records
- September: 3 records
- October: 7 records
- November: 6 records
- December: 9 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 3–79 m · Deepest record: 79 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 20–23 °C
Photos
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist 
(c) Belinda Forbes, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Names and classification
- English
- Western Wobbegong
Names in 2 more languages
- German
- Westlicher Teppichhai
- Spanish
- Wobbegong occidental
Similar species
Carpet sharkOrectolobus maculatus
Banded Carpet SharkOrectolobus halei
Banded wobbegongOrectolobus ornatus
Floral Banded WobbegongOrectolobus floridus
False Cobbler WobbegongOrectolobus leptolineatus
North Australian wobbegongOrectolobus wardi
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 52 open-data records from 1959 to 2012.
- Species data updated November 5, 2026.
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