Antilles Catshark

About the Antilles Catshark

Antilles Catsharks are commonly found, but there is little known about them. They are found in the Caribbean Sea, from the Straits of Florida to Martinique, including around Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and the Leeward Islands, at depths between 293 and 695 m (961–2,280 ft).

Biology and Behaviour

Antilles castshark is a slender species with a marbled colour pattern of dark saddles and blotches along its back. It has a flattened head and a long pointed snout. Their horizontal oval eyes have nictitating membranes which are followed by tiny spiracles. Their mouth has long furrows at the corners, and they have 56 tooth rows in their upper jaw and 52 tooth rows in their lower jaw. They have five pairs of gill slits. Antilles catsharks can grow up to 46 cm (18.1 in) long and males mature at around 33 cm (12.9 in).

They feed mainly on shrimp and presumably form schools when they hunt for food.

Reproduction and Lifespan

Antilles catsharks are thought to be oviparous, meaning females lay eggs that develop and hatch outside of the mother’s body.

Conservation and Tourism

Although population trends are unknown, it is thought to be stable because it lives beyond the depth reached by most fisheries in the Caribbean.

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