Japanese Wobbegong
Orectolobus japonicus
Sighting evidence at Izu Oceanic Park, Izu Peninsula
Elaborately fringed wobbegongs lie motionless along IOP's rocky ledges, their flattened bodies and dermal lobes matching encrusted substrate so precisely that divers often nearly touch them before realising. As ambush predators, they lunge at passing fish and crustaceans with explosive speed, playing a key role in controlling benthic fish densities on temperate Japanese reefs.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Japanese Wobbegong is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.