Bighead catshark (Apristurus bucephalus)

Scientific name: Apristurus bucephalus White, Last & Pogonoski, 2008

The Bighead catshark (Apristurus bucephalus) is a marine fish of the family Scyliorhinidae. Native range: Eastern Indian Ocean, Western Australia.

Biology

This moderately-large species has the following characters: labial furrows of upper and lower subequal in length; relatively short preorbital snout; very robust head, its width (at mouth corners) 13.9% TL; large mouth, its width 11.1% TL; large orbit, its length 3.7% TL; relatively long length of prepectoral and prepelvic; first dorsal fin is slightly smaller than second one, its origin well forward of pelvic fin insertion; tall anal fin, short based, triangular in shape; widely spaced dermal denticles, moderately large, deciduous, with long medial cusps; species size to at least 67.5 cm TL; uniformly medium yellowish brown body and fins; about 66 teeth rows in upper jaw, about 55 rows in lower jaw; adult female teeth with 5 cusps, 1 very long medial cusp, 2 much shorter inner lateral cusps, 2 much shorter outer lateral cusps situated anteriorly to inner lateral cusps; 35 monospondylous vertebrae; 26 diplospondylous precaudal vertebrae; about 108 total vertebrae.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Apristurus bucephalus
Family
Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks)
Order
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
67.5
Depth range
1030–1140 m (3379–3740 ft)
Environment
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 1030 - 1140 m
Climate
Deep-water
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean: Western Australia.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec assumed to be

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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