HomeFish encyclopediaSharks and RaysGround sharksCat sharksPainted swellshark Painted swellshark (Cephaloscyllium pictum) Scientific name: Cephaloscyllium pictum Last, S?ret & White, 2008 The Painted swellshark (Cephaloscyllium pictum) is a marine fish of the family Scyliorhinidae. Native range: Western Pacific, Indonesia. BiologyThis medium-sized species possess the following set of characters: head height 8.7-12.1% TL, its trunk width 12.8-16.8% TL; origin of first dorsal fin is over the centre of pelvic-fin base; prenarial length is 3.1-4.0% TL; preorbital snout length is 1.8-2.1 times the prenarial length, 3.1-3.5 in prepectoral length, 6.5-7.1 in prepelvic length; snout-vent length long, 49.5-50.7% TL; width of nostril 2.5-2.9% TL; eye-spiracle space narrow, 0.5-0.7% TL; pectoral fin medium-sized, its height 11.8-13.2% TL, posterior margin 9.8-12.1% TL; anal fin tall, 3.5-4.7% TL; anal-caudal space 5.5-6.6% TL; precaudal length 77-78% TL; interdorsal space 8.3-8.9% TL; teeth with 3-5 cusps near symphysis of upper jaw; unicuspidate or weakly tricuspidate flank denticles; greatly enlarged denticles on back absent; long adult clasper, outer length 7-8% TL, terminating well short of anal fin, interspace 1.6-1.8% TL; vertebral centra 110-117; moderate tooth count in each jaw 58-78 teeth; upper half of body isSource: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameCephaloscyllium pictumFamilyScyliorhinidae (Cat sharks)OrderCarcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)ClassElasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)Maximum length71.7EnvironmentMarine; benthopelagicClimateTropicalDistributionWestern Pacific: Indonesia.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmlessResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026