▁and ▁origin ates ▁over ▁or ▁slightly ▁behind ▁the ▁anal ▁fin ▁origin . ▁There ▁is ▁no ▁r idge ▁between ▁the ▁d ors al ▁fins . ▁The ▁anal ▁fin ▁is ▁larger ▁than ▁the ▁second ▁d ors al ▁fin . ▁There ▁is ▁a ▁cres cent - sh aped ▁not ch ▁on ▁the ▁ca ud al ▁ped un cle ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁origin ▁of ▁the ▁upper ▁ca ud al ▁fin ▁lo be . ▁The ▁asym met rical ▁ca ud al ▁fin ▁has ▁a ▁well - develop ed ▁lower ▁lo be ▁and ▁a ▁longer ▁upper ▁lo be ▁with ▁a ▁vent ral ▁not ch ▁near ▁the ▁tip . ▁The ▁skin ▁is ▁dens ely ▁covered ▁by ▁over la pping ▁der mal ▁dent icles , ▁each ▁bearing ▁three ▁to ▁five ▁horizontal ▁rid ges ▁leading ▁to ▁marg inal ▁teeth . ▁This ▁species ▁is ▁bronze ▁to ▁brown ish ▁gray ▁above ▁and ▁pale ▁below , ▁and ▁la cks ▁an ▁obvious ▁l ighter ▁band ▁on ▁the ▁fl anks . ▁R are ly , ▁individuals ▁may ▁be ▁light ▁bl u ish ▁gray ▁above . ▁It ▁may ▁reach ▁ ▁in ▁length , ▁though ▁ ▁is ▁typical . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁and ▁habitat ▁The ▁range ▁of ▁the ▁cre ek ▁wh aler ▁is ▁restricted ▁to ▁northern ▁Australia , ▁between ▁Glad stone ▁in ▁central ▁Queensland ▁and ▁Cape ▁C uv ier ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁species ▁that ▁inhab its ▁est u aries ▁and ▁in sh ore ▁waters ▁from ▁the ▁inter tid al ▁zone ▁to ▁a ▁depth ▁of ▁at ▁least ▁. ▁ ▁Bi ology ▁and ▁e col ogy ▁