The Epaulette shark can 'walk' across land using its fins as legs.

The Epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum) is a species of long-tailed carpet shark found primarily in the shallow coral reefs of Australia and New Guinea. During low tide, the water level can drop so significantly that these sharks become stranded in isolated tide pools or on exposed reef flats. To navigate this harsh environment, they have evolved a unique form of locomotion known as 'fin-walking.'Unlike most sharks, the Epaulette shark possesses highly flexible and muscular pectoral and pelvic fins. These fins rotate in a way that mimics the gait of a four-legged land animal, allowing the shark to push itself across uneven terrain. This evolutionary adaptation is a response to the oxygen-depleted environments of tide pools, where water can become stagnant and warm.Research published in journals like 'Scientific Reports' highlights their incredible physiological resilience. The Epaulette shark can survive in anoxic conditions—environments with almost no oxygen—for up to 60 minutes. They achieve this by slowing their heart rate and shutting down non-essential brain functions to conserve energy while they search for the ocean.This 'walking' behavior is not just a survival tactic for escaping traps. It also allows the shark to hunt for crustaceans and small fish in areas that are inaccessible to larger predators. By exploiting these shallow zones, the Epaulette shark has carved out a specialized ecological niche that ensures its survival in the volatile Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.