Pygmy ribbontail catshark (Eridacnis radcliffei)

Scientific name: Eridacnis radcliffei Smith, 1913

The Pygmy ribbontail catshark (Eridacnis radcliffei) is a marine fish of the family Proscylliidae.

Biology

Occurs over muddy bottoms, on the upper continental and insular slopes and outer shelves. Feeds mainly on small bony fishes and crustaceans, with squid a lesser item in the diet. One of the two smallest living sharks. Ovoviviparous, with 1 to 2 pups in a litter.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Eridacnis radcliffei
Family: Proscylliidae (Finback catsharks)
Order: Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)
Class: Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length: 23.0
Depth range: 71–766 m (233–2513 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 71 - 766 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Indo-West Pacific: widely distributed but with spotty records from Tanzania, the Gulf of Aden, India, Andaman Islands, Viet Nam, and the Philippines. The immense range of this species is striking compared to the limited ranges of other members of the genus.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=1)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026