Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) >
Pentanchidae (Deepwater catsharks)
Etymology: Apristurus: a-, Latin privative, i.e., without; pristis, from pristes (Gr.), sawyer (but here meaning saw); oura (Gr.), tail, referring to absence of saw-toothed crest of enlarged dermal denticles along upper edge of caudal fin as found in the closely related Pristiurus (=Galeus) (See ETYFish); canutus: Latin for hoary (gray or ash-colored), referring to its dark-gray coloration (with minute white spots underneath denticles) (See ETYFish).
Eponymy: Canutus is Latin for grey or ash-coloured and nothing to do with the tide-defying King Canute. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 500 - 1000 m (Ref. 55584). Deep-water; 18°N - 13°N
Western Central Atlantic: leeward islands off Antigua and Anguilla.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 43.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 244); 45.0 cm TL (female)
A deepwater bottom shark found on the insular slopes off the leeward islands. Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Poorly known. Not utilized at present.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Females spawn off leeward islands (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
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 6.6 - 9, mean 7.3 °C (based on 7 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [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): 3.8 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec assumed to be <10).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (35 of 100).