HomeMarine aquarium fishOther marine fishNursehound Nursehound (Scyliorhinus stellaris) Scientific name: Scyliorhinus stellaris Linnaeus, 1758 The Nursehound (Scyliorhinus stellaris) is a marine fish of the family Scyliorhinidae. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0. A large, fairly stocky, catshark with large and small black spots and sometimes white spots covering dorsal surface, saddle markings obsolete, small anterior nasal flaps that do not reach the mouth, no nasoral grooves, labial furrows on lower jaw only, second dorsal fin much smaller than firstSource: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameScyliorhinus stellarisFamilyScyliorhinidae (Cat sharks)OrderCarcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)ClassElasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)Maximum length170Common length125Depth range1–400 m (3–1312 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 400 m, usually 20 - 63 mClimateSubtropicalDistributionNortheast Atlantic: Shetlands (rare), southern Scandinavia and British Isles to Morocco, including the Mediterranean. Distribution southward of this range is uncertain.Conservation status (IUCN)Near Threatened (NT)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: public aquariumsResilienceLow, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be More other marine fishSmall-spotted catsharkScyliorhinus caniculaSouthern fiddlerTrygonorrhina fasciataLined catsharkHalaelurus lineatusSwellsharkCephaloscyllium ventriosumZebra bullhead sharkHeterodontus zebraWhitespotted bullhead sharkHeterodontus ramalheiraSee all other marine fish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026