Smoothback angelshark
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| Squatina oculata Bonaparte, 1840 |
The smoothback angelshark, Squatina oculata, is an angel shark of the family Squatinidae found in the eastern Atlantic from the Mediterranean and Morocco to Angola, between latitudes 47° N and 28°S. Its length is up to 1.6 m.
The little-known smoothback angelshark is found on the continental shelves and upper slopes mostly between 50 and 100 m but deeper in the tropics. The nasal barbels are weakly bifurcated, and the anterior nasal flaps are weakly fringed. The head is strongly concave between the eyes. There are large thorns on the snout and above the eyes but not on the back. It feeds on small fishes, squid, octopus, shrimps, and crabs.
Coloration is grey-brown with small white and blackish spots, and symmetrical large dark blotches or spots on the base and rear tip of the pectoral fins, tail base, and under the dorsal fins.
Reproduction is ovoviviparous.
It is fished for off the African coast, and is depleted in the Mediterranean.
[edit] References
- "Squatina oculata". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. July 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Compagno, Dando, & Fowler, Sharks of the World, Princeton University Press, New Jersey 2005 ISBN 0-691-12072-2
