Extant Heterodontus zebra (Zebra Bullhead Shark) Taxidermy Specimen and Jaw

[MarcoSr]

To understand and id fossil shark teeth it really helps if you are familiar with extant shark teeth.  I’ve been taking more pictures of my extant shark jaws.  This post contains pictures of an extant Heterodontus zebra (Zebra Bullhead Shark) taxidermy specimen and an additional jaw.  Links to my previous TFF posts on extant shark jaws can be found at the below TFF link.

 

My Extant Shark Jaw Collection

 

Below is a 23 inch long taxidermy specimen.  Adult specimens can reach 122 cm in length.   Adult body colors can vary but usually range from white to cream with black or dark brown zebra-like narrow vertical saddles and bands.  Juveniles have red-brown bands:

 

 

 

This shark is a male based upon the claspers shown in the below picture:

 

 

 

Pictures of the dorsal fin spines on the first  (note this spine is damaged at the tip) and second dorsal fins:

 

 

The jaw:

 

 

The placoid scales are more spread out on the dorsal side (back or upper side) and much denser on the ventral side (belly or lower side) of the shark.  The shape of the placoid scales varies depending on the body area of the shark.

 

Placoid scales on the head between the shark’s eyes from a dark band and a light area.

 

 

 

Placoid scales on the dorsal side of a pectoral fin:

 

 

 

Placoid scales from the ventral side  near the jaw:

 

 

 

Continued in next reply

Marco Sr.

[MarcoSr]

Below are pictures of a 3” by 2.25” jaw and teeth from another Heterodontus zebra shark.

 

Jaw:

 

 

 

Anterior teeth, upper and lower:

 

 

 

Lateral teeth, upper left and right and lower left and right:

 

 

 

 

Posterior teeth, upper left and right and lower left and right:

 

 

 

 

 

Marco Sr.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Amazing! 

Particularly the beautiful pictures of the dermal denticles and the tooth arrangement, great photos. 

[sixgill pete]

Fantastic photos Marco

[MarcoSr]

2 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Amazing! 

Particularly the beautiful pictures of the dermal denticles and the tooth arrangement, great photos. 

 

Thank you.  I edited my post to change dermal denticles to placoid scales (senior moment).  Although a lot of researchers use the terms interchangeably, I normally use dermal denticles for the mid-line larger scales/scutes on rays and placoid scales for the much smaller scales on rays and sharks.

 

Marco Sr.

[MarcoSr]

1 hour ago, sixgill pete said:

Fantastic photos Marco

 

Don

 

Thank you.  I took some time off from searching matrix to take pictures for a while.  I should be posting a number of extant shark jaws and teeth the next few days.

 

Marco Sr.

[goatinformationist]

Super pics and very wonderful detail in the notes.  Always a pleasure.

[ynot]

Very nice and informative Marco!

Thanks for the continuing lessons.

[old bones]

Very cool, Marco Sr.. I really like those scales.

[doushantuo]

Wonderful bit of neontology,and a big thumbs-up for the photography

"Senior moment"

[MarcoSr]

11 hours ago, goatinformationist said:

Super pics and very wonderful detail in the notes.  Always a pleasure.

 

11 hours ago, ynot said:

Very nice and informative Marco!

Thanks for the continuing lessons.

 

10 hours ago, old bones said:

Very cool, Marco Sr.. I really like those scales.

 

7 hours ago, doushantuo said:

Wonderful bit of neontology,and a big thumbs-up for the photography

"Senior moment"

 

Thank you.  I actually learn a lot when I research each of these species.  For the genus Heterodontus, I've found lots of information in books and on the web to be able to tell the species apart based upon the coloration and markings on the sharks although there are some species misidentified on the web.  Also this coloration can fade with a taxidermy specimen.  I've found very little information that allows me to tell the jaws or teeth apart for each Heterodontus species.  The taxidermy specimen in this post was misidentified by the seller as Heterodontus francisci.  H. francisci usually have small dark spots less than 1/3 eye diameter which this taxidermy specimen does not have.  As far as the separate jaw id in this post, I can tell for sure that it is Heterodontus but I have to rely on the seller for the species id.  To help ensure an accurate species id of a lot of shark jaws, you really need to see the shark itself that the jaw came from.

 

Marco Sr.

[Plantguy]

This is awesome reference info Marco and extra special with all the super photos/angles. What a really neat specimen to have.

Thanks for sharing the expertise!

Regards, Chris  

[MarcoSr]

1 hour ago, Plantguy said:

This is awesome reference info Marco and extra special with all the super photos/angles. What a really neat specimen to have.

Thanks for sharing the expertise!

Regards, Chris  

 

Chris

 

Thank you.  I wish I had more taxidermy shark species because they do add so much information about the shark that you don't get from just teeth or a jaw.

 

Marco Sr.