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Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) > Pentanchidae (Deepwater catsharks)
Etymology: Halaelurus: halos (Gr.), sea; ailouros (Gr.), cat, probably an allusion to the vernacular “catshark,” so named for its cat-like eyes (See ETYFish); boesemani: In honor of Marinus Boeseman (1916-2006), curator of fishes at the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie (Leiden, Netherlands), for his “important” contributions to ichthyology (See ETYFish).
Eponymy: Dr Marinus Boeseman (1916–2006) was a Dutch ichthyologist, working in the Department of Zoology, Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Histoire, Leiden, becoming Curator of Fishes (1947–1981). [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 37 - 250 m (Ref. 6871). Deep-water; 21°N - 26°S

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

Western Indian Ocean: Somalia, Gulf of Aden and Kenya.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ?, range 35 - ? cm
Max length : 48.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 244); 47.0 cm TL (female)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Dark spots small and very numerous, usually not larger than spiracles, over or between weak saddles or bars (Ref. 11146).

A little-known but wide-ranging bottom-dwelling shark found on continental and insular shelves (Ref. 11146). Probably caught with bottom trawls (Ref. 30573). Live-bearing (Ref. 50449).

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

Up to 4 egg capsules may be found in an oviduct but it is uncertain whether these hatch inside the oviduct or if the eggs are laid (Ref. 244). Live-bearing (Ref. 50449).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | 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 2 - Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/2):251-655. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 244)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Vulnerable (VU) (A2d); Date assessed: 09 February 2017

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless (Ref. 6871)

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
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Food consumption
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Ecology
Ecology

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Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
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Life cycle
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Maturity/Gills rel.
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Distribution
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Anatomy
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Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 19.6 - 27.9, mean 25 °C (based on 441 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5078 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00355 (0.00175 - 0.00721), b=3.08 (2.90 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate vulnerability (38 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Low.

Halaelurus boesemani Springer & D'Aubrey, 1972