Atlantic Sawtail Catshark

About the Atlantic Sawtail Catshark

The Atlantic Sawtail Catshark is a small shark found in the northeastern and central Atlantic, including waters off the coasts of Spain, Portugal and Morocco. It is also found in the Mediterranean Sea around the Strait of Gibraltar and lives on the continental slope at depths of 328 to 790 m (150–2,592 ft).

Biology and Behaviour

The Atlantic Sawtail Catshark resembles the Blackmouth Catshark, and the two were thought to be the same species DNA tests confirmed that they were distinct species in 2007. It has a marbled pattern, with a light brown body covered in dark brown blotches along the back and tail. Its tail is covered with tooth-like scales on its upper side. Adults grow to at least 46 cm (311 in) in length and feed mainly on small bony fish and crustaceans.

Reproduction

Atlantic Sawtail Catsharks are oviparous, meaning that females lay egg cases. One female can carry up to nine eggs at a time, which are only a few centimeters long and hatch shortly after being laid. Males become sexually mature at around 33 to 42 cm (13.0–16.5 in) in length, while females mature at 37 cm to 45 cm (14.6–17.7 in) long.

Conservation

Atlantic Sawtail Catshark population trends vary by region. Some Mediterranean populations seem to be stable, but the global trend is considered to be decreasing. The species is exposed to fishing pressure throughout much of its range and is occasionally caught as bycatch in demersal trawl and longline fisheries. At this time, the IUCN considers the Atlantic Sawtail Catshark as Not Threatened.

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