| 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: |
Specimens collected from the market seems to be this species but the depth distribution is unknown and there are minor morphometric and meristic differences when compared to the Australian specimens. More materials needed to undestand population variation within the region (Ref. 58443). |
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