 Other common names used for this species include bull head, cat shark, Japanese horn shark, Cestracion shark, and Port Jackson shark (which usually refers to "Heterodontus portusjacksoni").A modest-sized shark reaching a maximum known length of , the Japanese bullhead shark has a cylindrical body with the short, wide head and blunt, pig-like snout typical of the bullhead sharks.The eyes lack a nictitating membrane and are followed by tiny spiracles.