Small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) fish species and Small-spotted catshark information

Scientific Name
Scyliorhinus canicula

Common Name
Small-spotted catshark

Biology
Inhabit continental shelves and uppermost slopes. Depth range from 10-400 m (Ref. 244), and from 288-780 in the eastern Ionian Sea (Ref. 56504). Found on sandy, coralline, algal, gravel or muddy bottoms at depths of a few meters commonly down to 110 m. They sometimes occur in midwater. Feed on mollusks and crustaceans, small cephalopods, polychaete worms, and small bony fishes. Oviparous, with a single egg laid per oviduct at a time. Utilized fresh and dried-salted for human consumption, also for oil and fishmeal.

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Sharks and Rays (Elasmobranchii)

Order

Ground sharks (Carcharhiniformes)

Family

Cat sharks (Scyliorhinidae)

Distribution

Region

Northeast Atlantic

Distribution

Northeast Atlantic: Norway and British Isles south to Senegal, including the Mediterranean. Possibly C?te d'Ivoire. Some populational differences exist between Catulus duhameli (a name for the Mediterranean canicula based on size) and this species which may eventually be expressed as subspecies. The only reported observation of this species in Crimean waters was in 1937, which is possibly erroneous (Ref. 897).

Range

63°N - 12°N, 18°W - 36°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

10 m

Depth To - meters

780 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; depth range 10 - 780 m (Ref. 56504), usually 80 - 100 m (Ref. 81056)

Trophic Level

3.69 s.e. 0.55 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

100.0 cm

Common Length

60.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: public aquariums

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (62 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.20; tm=9; Fec=96)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)

Small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) fish species and information / pictures of Small-spotted catshark - Scyliorhinus canicula

Small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) fish species information

Classification

Distribution

Environment

Physical Size and Genetics

Human Uses and Population