Pyjama Catshark

About the Pyjama Catshark

Pyjama Catsharks, also known as striped catsharks, are found off the coast of South Africa in the southeast Atlantic Ocean and the western Indian Ocean at depths up to 100 m/328 ft.

Biology and Behaviour

This slow-swimming catshark is distinguished most by its long horizontal black stripes along its back.

Similar to leopard catsharks, pyjama catsharks also favour caves and crevices on rocky reefs and kelp beds. They are more active at hung, but will also feed during the day. They prey on cephalopods, crustaceans, bony fish, hagfishes, small batons, bivalves and bristle worms.

Reproduction and Lifespan

Pyjama catsharks are oviparous and females produce two eggs at a time. When the young ones hatch, they are 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) in length. Male pyjama sharks are adolescent at 78 to 81 cm (30.7 to 31.9 in) long and adult males are between 75 to 91 cm (29.5 to 35.8 in) long. Female pyjama sharks are adolescent at 79 to 83 cm (31.1 to 32.7 in) in length and are adults between 75 to 93 cm (29.5 to 36.6 in) long. They can grow up to 101 cm (39.8 in) long.

Conservation and Tourism

The Pyjama Shark is bycatch of longline, gillnet, beach seine, trawl, and commercial and recreational line fisheries, and is used in the aquarium trade. Trend analysis of angler surveys in the De Hoop Marine Protected Area estimated a population increase of 133% over the past three generation lengths (75 years). The Pyjama Shark may be able to tolerate moderate levels of fishing pressure due to its likely high fecundity. This shark was among the most abundant observed in Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) surveys in False Bay and Stillbai in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Overall, the Pyjama Shark is common within its range, the population size is suspected to be increasing over the past three generation lengths (75 years), it is prohibited from retention in commercial line fisheries, and it is assessed as Least Concern.The Pyjama Shark is utilized occasionally for lobster bait and in the aquarium trade (Compagno 2005).In 2005, the Pyjama Shark was declared a prohibited commercial line species in South Africa with a recreational bag limit of one individual imposed (DEAT 2005, DAFF 2013).

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Pyjama Catshark Gallery