Swell Shark Egg Case

Description:

The egg case of an Australian Swell Shark is a laterally flattened flask-shaped capsule (13 cm x 5 cm) with transverse ridges. At each corner were tendrils that looked like coiled fishing line. The capsule and tendrils looked like a large fish lure & line as it lay amongst rocks.
a One looked quite clean whilst the other had barnacles growing on it.

Habitat:

Spotted in the inter-tidal area amongst rocks. ( Cape Conran)

Notes:

The swell shark eggs are laid in capsules, two at a time. each capsule has a single egg and arising from the four corners of the capsule are tendrils by which the capsule is attached to sea weeds or other bottom structures. The length of the tendril depends on the wave action in the area.
The embryo develops with the capsule, living off the yolk in the yolk sac. a live young hatches after twelve months.
The shark eggs are predated upon by marine snails.
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Scyliorhinidae