Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Squatiniformes (Angel sharks) > Squatinidae (Angel sharks)
Etymology: Squatina: Latin, squatina, -ae = a kind of shark (Ref. 45335). More on author: Regan.

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 494 m (Ref. 5578), usually 60 - 300 m (Ref. 5578). Subtropical, preferred ?; 4°S - 32°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Indian Ocean: tropical and warm temperate waters from Tanzania to the eastern Cape coast of South Africa.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ?, range 90 - 93 cm
Max length : 80.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 247); 108.0 cm TL (female)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0. A distinctly flattened shark with large pectoral fins separated from the round head by notches (Ref. 5578). Brown above with a reticulated pattern of light spots, white below (Ref. 5578).

Found on the continental shelf and uppermost slope, from the surf line close inshore to 494 m depth (Ref. 247). Feeds on bony fish, squid and octopus (Ref. 247). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449), with about 7 to 11 young in a litter (Ref. 247). Sometimes caught by surf anglers (Ref. 6588).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Ovoviviparous, with about 7 to 11 young in a litter. Size at birth between 28 and 34 cm. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

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 1 - Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/1):1-249. Rome, FAO. (Ref. 247)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Data deficient (DD)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Traumatogenic

Human uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes

FAO(fisheries: species profile; publication : search) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

More information

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Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00537 (0.00246 - 0.01172), b=3.02 (2.81 - 3.23), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 4.2 ±0.5 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=7).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High vulnerability (55 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Squatina africana Regan, 1908