Shark

Tasselled wobbegong shark

Eucrossorhinus dasypogon

IUCN status: Least concernWidely sought

A camouflaged carpet shark that rests on sandy bottoms, under coral ledges, or inside reef overhangs during the day. Restricted to reefs of eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northern Australia, typically found at 5-25m — shallow enough to be a reliable recreational-diving encounter in Raja Ampat.

Max size
Up to 1.8m
Habitat
Shallow reef ledges and overhangs, 5-25m

Best places to dive with Tasselled wobbegong shark

rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
Raja Ampat
Sighting likelihood by month
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Resident year-round on shallow reef ledges; ease of spotting depends more on visibility and dive-timing than season.

Ribbon Reefs & Cod Hole
Sighting likelihood by month
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Resident; a camouflaged bottom-dweller found on the pinnacles and coral heads, including Steve's Bommie. Year-round; sightings depend on spotting them against the reef.

Sources & last checked

Checked July 2026

This is a researched draft, not yet human-verified. The seasonality and logistics are drawn from the sources below — confirm specifics (permits, fees, closures) with an operator before you book.

Note on the data: The IUCN Red List URL returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches (their site blocks bots/datacenter IPs) but resolves normally in a browser — verify manually rather than treating the 403 as a broken link. Note the 2023 reassessment upgraded this species from Near Threatened to Least Concern — an earlier draft of this entry incorrectly used the older Near Threatened status before this was checked.