Variegated Catshark

About the Variegated Catshark

The Variegated Catshark is a small catshark that can be found off the coast of Australia in the Eastern Indian Ocean at depths between 30 to 200 m/98.4 to 656.2 ft. 

Biology and Behaviour

Variegated catsharks have an ornate colour pattern with multi-coloured blotches over black spots. Their caudal fin is short, but their dorsal fins larger and more rounded.

They are nocturnal creatures that inhabit caves and ledges in temperate waters.

Reproduction and Lifespan

Variegated catsharks are oviparous and females lay their eggs in pairs. Males mature at around 38 cm/1 ft 3.0 in long. Females and males can reach 44 cm/1 ft 5.3 in in length.

There is very little is known of the variegated catshark’s biology.

Conservation and Tourism

The IUCN lists the variegated catshark as least concern.

They are rarely caught in the Great Australian Bight Trawl Sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery. From 2000 – 2006, 83 kg/182.98 lbs of variegated catshark was caught, but the fishery has since decreased its fishing practices. There are currently no conservation methods in place for this species.

This species is incidentally caught and discarded in very low levels in the Great Australian Bight Otter Trawl sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery. It may have also been occasionally caught in the Western Deepwater Trawl Fishery in Western Australia, which has very limited effort, mostly operates in waters north of the species’ range, and is at the limit of the species’ depth range. The species would receive refuge in the Australian Commonwealth Marine Reserve network and its nocturnal behaviour and use of caves and ledges would limit exposure to areas fished by trawlers. There is no evidence of population decline and the species is not suspected to be close to reaching the population reduction threshold, and the Variegated Catshark is assessed as Least Concern.

There are no species-specific measures for the Variegated Catshark. In Western Australia, retention of sharks and rays outside of specifically managed shark fisheries has been prohibited since 2006 (Evans and Molony 2010). It likely benefits incidentally from the various marine protected areas in its range in the Australian Commonwealth Marine Parks network which include zoning and gear restrictions (Parks Australia 2025). In 2021, the national Red List status of this species was Least Concern and in 2023 the stock was assessed as Sustainable (Kyne et al. 2021, Simpfendorfer and Rigby 2023). Further research is needed on population size and trends, and life history, and catch rates should be monitored.

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