African Spotted Catshark

About the African Spotted Catshark

The Holohalaelurus Punctatus, also known as the White-Spotted Catshark,  is an endemic species of the southwestern Indian Ocean. This shark belongs to the Scyliorhinidae family.

Biology:

This species is broad-headed, dwarf, catshark with small dark brown spots closely set on a yellow-brown background; small black pores on the underside of head and body and have no labial furrows.

Males appear to obtain greater maximum length compared to females, a trait common to Holohalaelurus sharks. The maximum record size of this species is 34 cm/1 ft 1.4 in TL. Males reach maturity at 29.8 – 32.6 cm/0 ft 11.7 in to 1 ft 0.8 in TL. Females reach maturity after the 23.6 cm/9.3 in TL.

Reproduction:

The White-Spotted Catshark is oviparous, with one egg-case laid per oviduct at a time. Embryos feed solely on yolk and partial segregation is manifested by a greater number of females off natal but not off southern Mozambique.

Habitat:

Its known depth range is 220 – 420 m/721.8 to 1,378.0 ft. its life history is unknown. There may be two populations of H. Punctatus, one occurring off the coast of South Africa and Mozambique, and the other off Madagascar, however, in the absence of data, this is speculative.

Conservation:

There are no conservation actions currently in place for this species. Recently an offshore observer program has been launched in South Africa, and observers should be placed on demersal trawlers in the KwaZulu-Natal region and should be trained to identify and record all catches of this species. Possible bycatch information on this species needs to be sought.

Under the FAO International Plan of Action for the conservation and management of sharks, development of a plan for all chondrichthyans is currently being considered in South Africa. A number of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) occurs within the species’ range including iSimangaliso MPA in South Africa that may offer some refuge as it occurs to a depth of 400 m. Further research is needed on population size and trends, life history, and catch rates.

The species is a bycatch of deep-water demersal trawl fisheries in South Africa, although effort has declined substantially over the last two decades. It is also a rare bycatch of the Mozambique trawl and longline fisheries. The African Spotted Catshark was commonly caught historically in fisheries and research surveys in the 1960s and 1970s, but catch levels have dropped and very few records have been confirmed since. Due to historically heavy levels of fishing pressure, ongoing fishing at lower levels of effort, a lack of recent records despite research, and some possible refuge at depth, the African Spotted Catshark is suspected to have undergone a population reduction of 50–79% over the past three generations (30 years), and it is assessed as Endangered A2d.

 

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African Spotted Catshark Gallery