Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) >
Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks) > Scyliorhininae
Etymology: Cephaloscyllium: cephalus, from kephale (Gr.), head, referring to its very broad and depressed head; skylion, Greek for dogfish or small shark (See ETYFish); sarawakense: -ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Sarawak, Malaysia, type locality (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 100 - 200 m (Ref. 94801). Subtropical
Pacific Ocean: South China Sea (western south Taiwan, Hong Kong, Gulf of Tongking, Vietnam, Malaysia).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 37.5, range 35 - 40 cm
Max length : 39.7 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 75582); 44.1 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This small-sized shark is distinguished by the following characters: adults with two distinct and wide brown saddle blotches before first dorsal fin while juveniles with 3; first saddle immediately behind eye, second over posterior 1/3 of base and inner margin of pectoral fin, the third a little before first dorsal fin, which fades with growth; dark lateral circular to oblong blotches above gill openings and on lateral side of trunk; young individuals with many polka dots on body and fins; anterior nasal flap triangular without an elongate flap (Ref. 98601).
All specimens were collected by trawl nets near the edge of the continental shelf (Ref. 75538).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Yano, K., A. Ahmad, A.C. Gambang, A.H. Idris, A.R. Solahuddin and Z. Aznan, 2005. Sharks and rays of Malaysia and Brunei, Darussalam. SEAFDEC-MFRDMD/SP/12. Kuala Terengganu. Sharks and Rays Malaysia and Brunei:557 pp. (Ref. 75538)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: bycatch
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 17.5 - 23.6, mean 20.2 °C (based on 66 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 size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary low fecundity).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100).
