\0: PROSCYLLIIDAE
N
10.3 Eridacnis sinuans: 32 em female holotype (Natal). N & T (from 28 em male) as in 2.1.
10.3 Eridacnis sinuans
(Smith,1957)
Neotriakis sinuans Smith, 1957: 262, Fig. 2 (Natal); Smith, SFSA No.
13b. Eridacnis sinuans: Bass et aI., 1975: 12*.
Teeth~; those near centre of jaws relatively long and lanceolate
with 1 large central cusp and a pair of smaller side cusps; the lateral teeth
broad and comb-like with 4 or 5 equal cusps. Precaudal vertebrae 82-88.
Ovoviviparous; 2 pups per litter, born at about 15 cm;
males mature at 30 cm; attains at least 37 cm. Known only
from Natal, southern Mozambique and Tanzania, in 230 -
480m.
Family No. 11: SCYLIORHINIDAE
by AJ. Bass
Catsharks
Kathaaie
Two dorsal fins, without spines, first dorsal axil over or
behind pelvic origin. Anal fin present. No precaudal pits.
Spiracles present. Rudimentary nictitans. Caudal fin not
lunate, much less than half total length. Nasal barbels
absent or, if present, nostrils not connected to mouth by
grooves. Five gill slits, the last over or behind pectoral
origin. Teeth usually multicuspid, in several functional
series, alike in upper and lower jaws.
Mostly small harmless sharks not exceeding a length of
100 cm; predominantly bottom or near bottom dwelling
fishes. The most recent major revision is by Springer (1979)
who recognises 17 genera and 86 species of which 8 genera
and about 16 species occur in our area. All of these are fairly
well defined except for the genus Apristurus which is in dire
need of revision - 2 species of this genus are tentatively included here.
88
KEY TO GENERA
la Nostrils with conspicuous barbels ............................ Poroderma
1 b Nostrils without conspicuous barbels ... .. .. .. .. ....... .. ................. 2
2a Lip grooves absent ............................................................ 3
2b Lip grooves present ........................................................... 4
3a Base of A underneath 2nd Dbase ..................... Cephaloscyllium
3b At least half of A base in front of 2nd Dbase ......... Holohalaelurus
4a Only lower lip grooves present ............................... Scyliorhinus
4b Upper and lower lip grooves present ........ .......... ................... 5
5a Nostrils connected to mouth by grooves .............. Haploblepharus
5b Nostrils entirely separate from mouth .................................... 6
6a Origin of A behind tip of 1st D ................................. Halaelurus
6b Origin of A under or in front of tip oflst D ............................. 7
7a Spiny crest of enlarged denticles along upper edge of C ...... Galeus
7b Upper edge of C without a crest of enlarged denticles .... Apristurus
Genus Apristurus Garman, 1913
Distinguished from other scyliorhinids by uniform dark
coloration, broad flattened heads, and particularly long A,
with end of A base almost coincident with lower C origin.
About 22 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Distance between D bases less than 2nd Dbase ........... A. microps
1b Distance between D bases more than 2nd Dbase ....... A. saldanha
11.1 Apristurus microps
(Gilchrist, 1922)
Scylliorhinus microps Gilchrist, 1922: 46, PI. 7, Fig. 1 (off Cape Town in
1446 m). Pentanchus microps: Smith, SFSA No. 41*. Apristurus microps:
Bass et aI., 1975: 7; Springer, 1979: 23.
Interdorsal distance less than length of 2nd D base. The
holotype is lost, and only recently have 3 specimens (33-47
cm) been reported from deep water in the southeast Atlantic. As yet no descriptions of these sharks are available.
N
10.3 Eridacnis sinuans: 32 em female holotype (Natal). N & T (from 28 em male) as in 2.1.
10.3 Eridacnis sinuans
(Smith,1957)
Neotriakis sinuans Smith, 1957: 262, Fig. 2 (Natal); Smith, SFSA No.
13b. Eridacnis sinuans: Bass et aI., 1975: 12*.
Teeth~; those near centre of jaws relatively long and lanceolate
with 1 large central cusp and a pair of smaller side cusps; the lateral teeth
broad and comb-like with 4 or 5 equal cusps. Precaudal vertebrae 82-88.
Ovoviviparous; 2 pups per litter, born at about 15 cm;
males mature at 30 cm; attains at least 37 cm. Known only
from Natal, southern Mozambique and Tanzania, in 230 -
480m.
Family No. 11: SCYLIORHINIDAE
by AJ. Bass
Catsharks
Kathaaie
Two dorsal fins, without spines, first dorsal axil over or
behind pelvic origin. Anal fin present. No precaudal pits.
Spiracles present. Rudimentary nictitans. Caudal fin not
lunate, much less than half total length. Nasal barbels
absent or, if present, nostrils not connected to mouth by
grooves. Five gill slits, the last over or behind pectoral
origin. Teeth usually multicuspid, in several functional
series, alike in upper and lower jaws.
Mostly small harmless sharks not exceeding a length of
100 cm; predominantly bottom or near bottom dwelling
fishes. The most recent major revision is by Springer (1979)
who recognises 17 genera and 86 species of which 8 genera
and about 16 species occur in our area. All of these are fairly
well defined except for the genus Apristurus which is in dire
need of revision - 2 species of this genus are tentatively included here.
88
KEY TO GENERA
la Nostrils with conspicuous barbels ............................ Poroderma
1 b Nostrils without conspicuous barbels ... .. .. .. .. ....... .. ................. 2
2a Lip grooves absent ............................................................ 3
2b Lip grooves present ........................................................... 4
3a Base of A underneath 2nd Dbase ..................... Cephaloscyllium
3b At least half of A base in front of 2nd Dbase ......... Holohalaelurus
4a Only lower lip grooves present ............................... Scyliorhinus
4b Upper and lower lip grooves present ........ .......... ................... 5
5a Nostrils connected to mouth by grooves .............. Haploblepharus
5b Nostrils entirely separate from mouth .................................... 6
6a Origin of A behind tip of 1st D ................................. Halaelurus
6b Origin of A under or in front of tip oflst D ............................. 7
7a Spiny crest of enlarged denticles along upper edge of C ...... Galeus
7b Upper edge of C without a crest of enlarged denticles .... Apristurus
Genus Apristurus Garman, 1913
Distinguished from other scyliorhinids by uniform dark
coloration, broad flattened heads, and particularly long A,
with end of A base almost coincident with lower C origin.
About 22 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Distance between D bases less than 2nd Dbase ........... A. microps
1b Distance between D bases more than 2nd Dbase ....... A. saldanha
11.1 Apristurus microps
(Gilchrist, 1922)
Scylliorhinus microps Gilchrist, 1922: 46, PI. 7, Fig. 1 (off Cape Town in
1446 m). Pentanchus microps: Smith, SFSA No. 41*. Apristurus microps:
Bass et aI., 1975: 7; Springer, 1979: 23.
Interdorsal distance less than length of 2nd D base. The
holotype is lost, and only recently have 3 specimens (33-47
cm) been reported from deep water in the southeast Atlantic. As yet no descriptions of these sharks are available.