West African catshark

Taxobox
name = West African catshark
status = DD | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Chondrichthyes
ordo = Carcharhiniformes
familia = Scyliorhinidae
genus = "Scyliorhinus"
species = "S. cervigoni"
binomial = "Scyliorhinus cervigoni"
binomial_authority = Maurin & Bonnet, 1970

The West African catshark, "Scyliorhinus cervigoni", is a cat shark of the family Scyliorhinidae found from the eastern Atlantic probably wide-ranging off tropical West Africa, from Mauritania to Angola between latitudes 20° N and 17° S, at depths between 45 and 500 m. Its length is up to 67 cm. It has often been referred to as the nursehound, "Scyliorhinus stellaris", in the past.

The West African catshark is a stout species found on rocky and muddy bottoms of the continental shelf and upper slope. It feeds on bony fishes. The second dorsal fin is much smaller than the first.

Coloration is large and small black spots covering the dorsal surface over a pale background, and 8 or 9 dusky saddles. Reproduction is oviparous.

References

*
* Compagno, Dando, & Fowler, "Sharks of the World", Princeton University Press, New Jersey 2005 ISBN 978-0-691-12072-0