Blind Shark

The blind shark has a stocky body and a wide, somewhat flattened head with a blunt snout. The small, oval eyes are situated high on the head and have strong ridges underneath; the oval spiracles are positioned behind and below and have obvious raised rims. The nostrils are placed almost at the tip of the snout and have long, tapering barbels in front and well-developed skin flaps and grooves around the incurrent openings. A pair of obvious grooves connect the nostrils to the small, almost transverse mouth. There are 32–34 upper tooth rows and 21–29 lower tooth rows; each tooth has an upright, awl-shaped central cusp and a pair of lateral cusplets. The five pairs of gill slits are small, with the fifth pair close to the fourth.

The range of the blind shark is restricted to the eastern coast of Australia, from Mooloolaba in southern Queensland to Jervis Bay in New South Wales; past reports from off Western Australia and Northern Territory appear to be misidentifications of the brownbanded bamboo shark. The blind shark is a bottom-dwelling species that generally inhabits the continental shelf from the intertidal zone, including tidal pools barely deep enough to cover its body, to a depth of 73 m (240 ft), though it has been recorded as deep as 140 m (460 ft). Preferred habitats are rocky areas and adjacent seagrass beds; juveniles are common in high-energy surge zones. In Nelson Bay, this shark has been observed lying in the open atop sponges.

Contrary to its common name, the blind shark has "perfectly adequate" vision. It was so named by anglers because it retracts its eyeballs and shuts its thick lower eyelids when removed from the water. This species can live for up to 18 hours out of water, allowing it to survive being stranded by the outgoing tide. The blind shark is secretive and sluggish during the day, with adults usually hiding in caves or under ledges and juveniles inside crevices, though it will take food given the opportunity. At night, it moves out over reefs and seagrass meadows to forage for small invertebrates (including crabs, shrimp, cephalopods, and sea anemones) and bony fishes. Prey items are captured via suction.

The blind shark is basically harmless to humans, though it can bite if provoked and is difficult to remove, owing to its strong jaws and powerful suction. There are cases of blind sharks biting and holding onto divers' wetsuits even after they surfaced, and could only be removed by prying open the sharks' jaws. This species is one of the few sharks considered suitable for private aquaria, as it is hardy, grows to a small size, and has sedentary habits, though its nocturnal, reclusive nature make it difficult to observe. The blind shark has even been induced to breed in captivity, with the Sydney Aquarium having successfully maintained a breeding colony.