Bamboo Shark (assorted)

Bamboo shark is a common name, not a single species. Wikipedia describes the family Hemiscylliidae as sharks of the order Orectolobiformes, commonly known as longtail carpet sharks and sometimes bamboo sharks. The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) lists Hemiscylliidae as an accepted family. This group entry covers sightings where the species was not recorded.

Wikipedia describes relatively small sharks with elongated, cylindrical bodies, short barbels and unusually long tails, which exceed the length of the rest of their bodies. It says the largest species reaches no more than 121 cm in adult body length.

A conservation status is not given here, because this entry covers a whole group.

Wikipedia says these sharks are found in shallow waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific, and names tidepools, coral beds and the areas around boulders as their natural habitats.

Where Divers Find Them

At Nusa Penida, Bali, Dune Penida Dive Center says divers regularly encounter bamboo sharks at Manta Point and lists them as occasional at Crystal Bay. Dive Concepts says they are often encountered at Manta Bay, and Bali Aqua Penida names them at Blue Corner. None of these says which species.

Wikipedia calls them sluggish fish that feed on bottom-dwelling invertebrates and smaller fish, and says bamboo sharks make popping and sucking noises when feeding.

Underwater Encounter Behavior

Dive Concepts describes them at Manta Bay sleeping under rocks or swimming on the coral floors of the bay, and Diving Squad calls the bamboo shark gentle and says it swims close to the seafloor. The sources cited here do not describe how these sharks react to divers.