Smalleye catshark

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Smalleye catshark
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Scyliorhinidae
Genus: Apristurus
Species: A. microps
Binomial name
Apristurus microps
(Gilchrist, 1922)


The smalleye catshark, Apristurus microps, is a cat shark of the family Scyliorhinidae found in the southeast Atlantic from off the Orange River to Cape Agulhas, South Africa, at depths of between 700 and 2,000 m. Its length is up to 61 cm.

The smalleye catshark is a stout, plain catshark with small eyes, a long thick and broad snout, and long labial furrows, with the mouth projecting well in front of the eyes. The pectoral fins are very short. It is found on the continental slope, on or near the bottom. It feeds on small bony fish, shrimp, squid, and possibly other sharks.

Coloration is uniformly black or dark to medium brown or grey, with no markings.

Reproduction is oviparous.

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