Slender Sawtail Catshark

About the Slender Sawtail Catshark

The slender sawtail catshark is a species of ground shark found off the coast of Northern and Western Australia at depths of 290 – 470 m/951.4 to 1,542.0 ft. Like all members of the catshark 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 diet consists of bony fishes and bottom-dwelling crustacean and cephalopods.

Very little is known about their biology. They’re believed to be oviparous, meaning they lay eggs, and to grow up to 34 cm/1 ft 1.4 in. Their bodies and fins are covered with overlapping dermal denticles.

The Slender Sawtail Shark may be caught incidentally by deepwater trawl fisheries, including the Commonwealth Northwest Slope Trawl Fishery and the Western Deepwater Trawl Fishery which operate across the spatial and depth range of the species. However, effort in these fisheries is low (2–3 vessels). The species will also receive refuge in the Australian Commonwealth Marine Reserve network. Population trends are not known but are suspected to be stable because interactions with fisheries are limited. There is no evidence of population decline and the species is not suspected to be close to reaching the population reduction threshold, and the Slender Sawtail Shark is assessed as Least Concern.

There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for the Slender Sawtail Shark. The species would receive refuge in the Australian Commonwealth Marine Reserve network that came info effect in 2018 and is protected by zoning and gear restrictions (Parks Australia 2025). In 2021, the national Red List status of this species was Data Deficient and in 2023, the stock was assessed as Negligible meaning it is rarely, if ever, encountered by fisheries (Kyne et al. 2021, Simpfendorfer and Rigby 2023). Further research is needed on its population size and trends, and life history, and catch rates should be monitored.

This species is not known to be utilized.

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