Squalus nasutus Last, Marshall & White, 2007
Western longnose spurdog

Family:  Squalidae (Dogfish sharks)
Max. size:  49.9 cm TL (male/unsexed); 59 cm TL (female)
Environment:  pelagic-oceanic; marine; depth range 300 - 850 m
Distribution:  Eastern Indian Ocean: Western Australia. Probably extending to Westerm Pacific, the Philippines and Indonesia.
Diagnosis:  This small species of the ‘japonicus group’ has the following set of characters: very elongate body, depth 9.4-11.4% TL; narrow and long snout, preoral length 1.85-2.01 times its horizontal prenarial length, 11.1-11.7% TL; large eyes, 4.3-5.1% TL; secondary lobe of anterior nasal flap is well developed; small, raked dorsal fins; first dorsal-fin spine short, weak; second dorsal-fin spine short with strong base; pectoral fin of adult not falcate; pectoral-fin inner margin is short, 6.6-7.1% TL; caudal bar almost upright, short, broad, extending from the caudal fork to the posterior margin of the upper lobe for 0.4-0.5 of its length, upper caudal blotch is somewhat linear, and is located near the dorsal margin of fin lobe; flank denticles weakly tricuspidate; monospondylous centra 36-39, precaudal centra 78-81, total centra 103-109 (Ref. 58443).
Biology:  Occurs on or near the bottom of the upper continental slope at 298-850 m; viviparous with yolk-sac dependency; no reproductive and diet data are available, however, it is presumed that the species feeds on small fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans (Ref. 58048). Trawled mainly in 300-400 m (Ref. 58443). Marketed for its meat, fins, and liver oil which is of high value (Ref. 58048).
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 01 August 2018 (A2d+3d) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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