Brown shyshark

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Brown shyshark
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Scyliorhinidae
Genus: Haploblepharus
Species: H. fuscus
Binomial name
Haploblepharus fuscus
Smith, 1950

The brown shyshark, Haploblepharus fuscus, is a cat shark of the family Scyliorhinidae found in South Africa from just west of Cape Agulhas to Natal. Its length is up to 69 cm.

The brown shyshark is sympatric with the puffadder shyshark, Haploblepharus edwardsii, in the southeastern Cape region but there is at least partial microhabitat separation between the two - Haploblepharus fuscus occurs inshore while Haploblepharus edwardsii occurs in deeper water offshore. The brown shyshark is the largest shyshark, usually plain yellowish-brown above becoming just yellowish below, with small light spots and indistinct brown saddles in some specimens. It is found close inshore on the continental shelf, often in shallow, rocky areas. It feeds on lobsters, crabs and small bony fish. It is readily kept in captivity, and is caught by shore anglers.

Reproduction is oviparous.

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