Blackmouth catshark

About the Blackmouth catshark

The blackmouth catshark is an abundant species of ground shark from the Eastern Atlantic. It’s found from Iceland to Senegal, including the Mediterranean Sea, usually at depths of about 150 to 500 m, although they’ve also been found in waters as deep as 2,000 m. They’re white and brown, with a marble pattern along its body and tail. The inside of its mouth is black and gives this shark its name. Adults are 50 to 80 cm long.

Blackmouth catsharks are oviparous and produce batches of 2 to 8 eggs, although in some rare cases up to 13 cases can be laid. Their diet consists mostly of small bony fish and crustaceans.

These sharks are commonly caught as bycatch by deepwater trawl and longline fisheries. They’re often discarded but are sometimes used for meat and leather in some regions.

Blackmouth catsharks are abundant in most of its range. They’re currently listed by the IUCN as a species of least concern due to their robust population numbers.

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