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Iceland catshark
No image of Iceland catshark found in the Shark Database
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| Range Map |
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| Systematics |
Phylum: Vertebates (Chordata)
Class: Carlilagenous Fishes (Chondrichthyes)
Order: Ground sharks (Carcharhiniformes)
Family: Catsharks (Scyliorhinidae)
Genus: Apristurus (Apristurus)
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| Name |
| Scientific: | Apristurus laurussoni |
| German: | Isländischer Katzenhai |
| English: | Iceland catshark |
| French: | Roussette d'Islande |
| Spanish: | Pejegato islandico |
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| Appearance |
Relatively slender body, with trunk tapering slightly toward the head. Broad and moderately long, bell-shaped snout (preoral snout about 7 to 8% of total body length).. Adults have small eyes. Short gill slits. Large nostrils (incurrent and excurrent apertures large and oval). First dorsal fin about as large as second dorsal fin. Origin of first dorsal fin slightly anterior to the midbases of pelvic fins. Insertion of second dorsal fin about opposite insertion of anal fin. Pelvic fins high and broadly rounded. Short anal fin (slightly more than three times as long as high).
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| Coloration |
Dark brown, no conspicuous markings.
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| Distribution |
Western North Atlantic: Massachusetts, Delaware, northern Gulf of Mexico. Eastern North Atlantic: Iceland, southwestern Ireland, Canary Islands.
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| Biology |
A little-known deepwater species found near or at the bottom over upper continental slopes, at depths between about 550 and 1450 m.Supposedly fairly common.
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| Size |
Maximum size about 68 cm, average size between 50 and 60 cm.
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| Reproduction |
Most likely oviparous (egg laying).
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| Similar Species |
Other species of the same genus (Apristurus) have a similar appearance but no others live in the same area.
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| Endangerment |
Status in the IUCN
Red List:
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No Entry found in Red List.
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| Danger to Humans |
Harmless.
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