Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) >
Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks) > Scyliorhininae
Etymology: Scyliorhinus: skylion, Greek for dogfish or small shark; rhinus, from rhine (Gr.), rasp, alluding to a shark’s jagged, rasp-like skin (See ETYFish); capensis: -ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, type locality (See ETYFish).
More on authors: Müller & Henle.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 26 - 495 m (Ref. 5578). Subtropical; 0°S - 37°S, 0°W - 29°E (Ref. 57015)
Southeast Atlantic: Lüderitz, Namibia to central Natal, South Africa.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 69.0, range 68 - 70 cm
Max length : 122 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 244)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Bright yellow or golden spots on a dark grey body with irregular blotches and saddles (Ref. 5578), cream below (Ref. 5510); 2nd dorsal much smaller than 1st (Ref. 5578). Small anterior nasal flaps that do not reach mouth, no nasoral grooves (Ref. 244).
A common inshore to offshore catshark. Prefers to feed on small bony fishes and crustaceans, also cephalopods (Ref. 244). Oviparous (Ref. 50449).
Oviparous, with a single egg per oviduct at a time (Ref. 244). Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Size upon hatching below 31 cm (size of young with umbilical scars) (Ref. 244).
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. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest; gamefish: yes
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 9.3 - 16.5, mean 12.2 °C (based on 45 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00263 (0.00138 - 0.00502), b=3.21 (3.04 - 3.38), 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 diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec = 1).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High to very high vulnerability (73 of 100).
