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Animal Guide

Epaulette Shark

53 destinations · 26 states

Native Range
Great Barrier Reef and surrounding western Pacific waters

Epaulette sharks are small bottom-dwelling sharks that seem built for exploring places other sharks cannot easily reach. Their name comes from the dark markings behind the pectoral fins, which resemble military shoulder patches, while their slender bodies and spotted pattern help them blend into the reef. The really unusual part appears when one starts moving across the seafloor. Instead of simply swimming, an epaulette shark can use its strong paired fins to almost walk over rocks and coral, pushing itself along even in very shallow water. This ability lets it search tide pools and reef flats for worms, crustaceans, small fish, and other prey. Watch the head as it explores cracks and crevices, using its senses to locate food hidden from view. Epaulette sharks are mostly active at night, so aquarium visitors may catch them cruising along the bottom while other fish are resting. Their unusual walking motion is often the moment that makes people stop and watch a little longer.

Epaulette Shark

Where to see Epaulette Shark

53 destinations across 26 states

53 destinations

Adventure Aquarium

Camden, NJ

Aquarium At The Boardwalk

Branson, MO

Aquarium of Boise

Boise, ID

Aquarium of the Pacific

Long Beach, CA

Birch Aquarium

La Jolla, CA

Brookfield Zoo

Riverside, IL

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Clearwater, FL

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

Powell, OH

Denver Zoo

Denver, CO

Discovery Cove

Orlando, FL

Downtown Aquarium

Houston, TX

Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den

Scranton, PA

Essex County Turtle Back Zoo

West Orange, NJ

Fort Worth Zoo

Fort Worth, TX

Greensboro Science Center

Greensboro, NC

Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park

Fort Walton Beach, FL

Indianapolis Zoo

Indianapolis, IN

Jenkinson's Aquarium

Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

Kansas City, MO

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

Draper, UT

Minnesota Zoo

Apple Valley, MN

Mississippi Aquarium

Gulfport, MS

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium

Sarasota, FL

Mystic Aquarium

Mystic, CT

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

Dubuque, IA

New England Aquarium

Boston, MA

New York Aquarium

Brooklyn, NY

Newport Aquarium

Newport, KY

NorCal Aquarium & Wildlife

Folsom, CA

OdySea Aquarium

Scottsdale, AZ

Oklahoma Aquarium

Jenks, OK

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Omaha, NE

One World Interactive Aquarium

Las Vegas, NV

San Antonio Aquarium

Leon Valley, TX

San Antonio Zoo

San Antonio, TX

SEA LIFE Aquarium

Carlsbad, CA

SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium

Tempe, AZ

SEA LIFE at Mall of America

Bloomington, MN

SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord

Concord, NC

SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium

Grapevine, TX

SEA LIFE New Jersey Aquarium

East Rutherford, NJ

SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium

Orlando, FL

SeaWorld Orlando

Orlando, FL

SeaWorld San Diego

San Diego, CA

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

Las Vegas, NV

Shreveport Aquarium

Shreveport, LA

Tennessee Aquarium

Chattanooga, TN

Texas State Aquarium

Corpus Christi, TX

The Florida Aquarium

Tampa, FL

The Seas with Nemo & Friends

Lake Buena Vista, FL

VIA Aquarium

Schenectady, NY

Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

Springfield, MO

Woodbridge Aquarium & Wildlife Center

Woodbridge, NJ

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