Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) >
Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks)
Etymology: Cephaloscyllium: Greek, kephale = head + skylion = dogfish (Ref. 80388).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 250 - 500 m (Ref. 95495). Deep-water, preferred ?; 16°N - 9°N
Western Indian Ocean: vicinity of Quilon, India (Ref. 244) and Sauqira Bay, Oman (Ref. 10914).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - 36.7 cm
Max length : 36.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 95495); 45.0 cm TL (female)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
This is a small shark with the following characters: stout body with expanded belly; labial furrows absent but a vestigial lower labial furrow may be present; anterior nasal flaps are broadly triangular; head depressed, flattened and broad, rounded in dorsal and ventrally; mouth large and arched; 5 gill slits, dorsolaterally placed and last two gill slits over pectorals, the 1-3 gill slits are subequal in length, 5th smallest; eyes dorsolateral and slit like; large mouth, arched or crescentic; mouth width 0.6 times HL; first dorsal origin slightly in front of pelvic insertion and placed above pelvics (Ref. 95495).
Found on the uppermost continental slope. Probably a dwarf species. Oviparous (Ref. 50499). This species could possibly attains a maximum size of 50.0 cm TL, with males reported (Ref. 26842) to reach length at maturity at 36.7 cm TL. A 45.0 cm female was found gravid and have two egg cases, one in each uterus, containing visible embryos (85.1-86.2 mm) with attached yolk sac. Stomach examined contains crustaceans and cephalopods (Ref. 95495).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).
Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/2):251-655. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 244)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
More information
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00324 (0.00157 - 0.00666), b=3.11 (2.93 - 3.29), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.5 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (42 of 100) .
