Pygmy ribbontail catshark
📖 Overview
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 .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Caudal fin without a rippled dorsal margin and ventral lobe but with a strong subterminal notch; vertebral axis of caudal fin little raised above body axis . Dark brown with blackish markings on dorsal fins .: elongated.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Pygmy ribbontail catshark is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, embryos feed solely on yolk . 1-2 pups per litter, size at birth about 11 cm .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 71 - 766 m . Deep-water; 22°N - 10°S West Pacific: widely distributed but with spotty records from Tanzania, the Gulf of Aden, India (Gulf of Mannar, Bay of Bengal), Andaman Islands, Viet Nam, and the Philippines.
🌿 Ecology
small bony fishes and crustaceans, with squid a lesser item in the diet (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | pygmy ribbontail catshark |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 斑鰭光唇鯊 · 沙條 · 花尾貓鮫 · 雷氏光唇鯊 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proscyllium alcocki | Misra | 1950 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 3 records indexed .
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