It's real.

It is native to Australia, which doesn't surprise me at all given that it looks more like a trap designed by a deranged dungeon keeper than a creature

It looks like a Muppet.

My son had a book called "You're Called What?!" which featured a tasseled wobbegong, alongside other animals such as the Shovelnose Guitarfish, Bone Eating Snot Flower Worm, and the Aha Ha.

Obligatory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasselled_wobbegong

This planet is so beautiful and wonderful. And underneath its waters is an entirely different world, full of wild and majestic creatures just like the Tasselled Wobbegong here. I pray that we act quick enough on our climate initiatives to save these things for the future.

"Damn, is this acid bunk? It's been like an hour."

The carpet:

https://images.app.goo.gl/2NV7pTaVMZFAxN68A

My partner and I have this thing where we ask each other if we are the other person's x, where x is something ridiculous, cute, grotesque, or profane. For example, I once asked my partner if I was her gutter-bloated corpse, to which she, of course, answered in the affirmative.

I'll soon find out if I am actually a tasselled wobbegong carpet shark in the eyes of my partner.

As an aside, I asked the corpse thing after reading this delightful line from one of my very favorite books:

“Body found floating by the docks,” Glokta breathed, “bloated by seawater and horribly mutilated… far… far beyond recognition.”

I've seen more convincing muppets.

I keep reading it as woebegone.

there's a whole order of carpet sharks. orectolobiformes

Unless it sings a happy song teaching me letters or numbers, I’m out.

When I was getting my bio degree, carpet sharks (including Wobbegons) are what I was most interested in studying. Just about every family in the order is fascinating in some way.

What is everyone on about puppets? This looks like something out of neverending story. Turn around, look at what you see.

I loved these things as an ocean obsessed kid. Fun to see it mentioned; i haven't thought about these for a long time!

Is it wearing a gilly suit?

I want one! What kinda food do I get? 🥰

That's a goosefish.

But do you think it has cute babies?