The Crested Horn Shark (Heterodontus galeatus) is very similar in appearance to the Australian Port Jackson Shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni). The Crested Horn Shark can be distinguished by the dark blotch pattern that it has on its body and its gill slits are laterally in front of and above its pectoral fins. Its body colour is generally grey to brown and it has very high crests above its eyes. It is only found on the east coast of Australia and occurs from southern Queensland to southern NSW.
The Crested Horn Shark can be found on inshore and offshore coastal reefs to depths of 40+ metres. They can also be found in coastal estuaries and bays, particularly during the colder winter months. They are known to feed on benthic invertebrates such as crabs and they use their teeth to crack and crush through the shells of crustaceans. They grow to a maximum size of 1.2m.
