Slender Catshark

About the Slender Catshark

The slender catshark is a species of ground shark found in the Western Atlantic, off the coast of Brazil and Suriname, including the Amazon estuary. They live at the bottom at depths of 70 to 400 m. Like all members of the catshark shark family, they’re bottom feeders, have elongated cat-like eyes, and two small dorsal fins set far back. They’re mostly nocturnal and often sleep in groups during the day.

Their dorsal side is pale brown or grey and have seven or eight dark saddle-shaped patches. They’re opportunistic hunters and eat everything from bony fishes and other sharks to mollusks and sponges.

They’re oviparous and lay one or two eggs at a time. The grow to a maximum length of 70 cm.

There is not enough confirmation to assess their population health. Their conservation status is “Data Deficient.” They’re sometimes caught as by-catch but are usually disposed of due to their small size.

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