Velvet Catshark

About the Velvet Catshark

The velvet catshark is a species of ground shark found off the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia. Only one specimen has been recovered, but 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. The single specimen was caught at a 855 m of depth.

They’re oviparous but little else is known about their biology. The only specimen recovered was a juvenile male, which measured 36 cm in length.

There is not enough confirmation to assess their population health. Their conservation status is “Data Deficient.”

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