Wobbegong Sharks

Wobbegongs are carpet sharks that look more like algae-covered rocks than fish — frilly skin lobes around the mouth (the 'beard'), mottled patterns that vanish against rubble, and a habit of staying motionless for days. The tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon) is the showpiece species in Raja Ampat and Komodo.

Their ambush strategy is staggeringly successful — small reef fish swim within centimetres before the wobbegong's jaws snap closed in a fraction of a second. They've been documented eating prey nearly half their own size, including other sharks.

Spot them under ledges and on coral rubble at Raja Ampat (the world's wobbegong capital), Komodo, and occasionally Bali. Walk your eyes slowly across the substrate — the 'beard' is the giveaway. Never touch or sit near them: even a sleeping wobbegong can react in milliseconds.