11 : SCYLIORHINIDAE (CATSHARKS)
11.4 Galeuspolli: 30 em female (W. Africa; after Poll, 1951).
Genus Galeus Rafinesque, 1810
Prominent lip grooves. Nostrils without barbels, not connected to mouth by grooves. About 9 species, 1 in our region.
11.4 Galeus polli
Cadenat, 1959
Galeus palli Cadenat, 1959: 395 , Figs. 1-18 (Senegal) ; Springer, 1979:
65.
Pale brown, paler below; dark saddles prominent in
young, faint in adults. Ovoviviparous; 4-10 pups per litter,
born at 11-12 cm; mature at 30-35 cm; attains 42 cm. Outer
continental shelf from Spanish Morocco to northern
Namibia.
Genus Halaelurus Gill, 1862
Nine species, 3 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Snout tip rounded, not turned upward .... ... ...... ...... .... H. lutarius
Ib Snout tip pointed and turned upward ....... ........ .... ...... ... .... ... .. 2
2a Distance between D bases more than 3 x 1st D
height; lower edge of C deeply indented .......... .. .... .... . H. lineatus
2b Distance between D bases 2.5-3 x 1st D height;
lower edge of C fin almost straight ....... ...... .. ..... ..... H. natalensis
11.5 Halaelurus lineatus
Bass, O'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1975
Banded catshark
Band-kathaai
Halaelurus lineatus Bass, D'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1975: 12, Fig. 8
(Durban) ; Springer, 1979: 79*; van der Elst, 1981: 58*. Halaelurus
natalensis: Smith, SFSA No. 40 (part) .
Basic colour pale brown, cream below, with dark brown
markings. Oviparous; up to 16 egg-cases per female, hatching about a month after deposition; mature at 35-40 cm; attains 56 cm. Feeds chiefly on crustaceans. Durban to Beira,
Mozambique; from shore down to at least 290 m.
11.6 Halaelurus lutarius
Springer & 0' Aubrey, 1972
Brown catshark
Bruin kathaai
Halaelurus lutarius Springer & D' Aubrey, 1972: 6, Figs. lA, 1 (Delagoa
Bay, Somalia); Basset aI., 1975: 11*; Springer, 1979: 82*.
Colour pattern of a dull grey-brown, paler below, with a
few poorly defined dorsal saddles sometimes visible.
Ovoviviparous; 2 pups per litter; mature at 30 cm; attains 39
cm . Somalia and southern Mozambique; in depths of 338766m.
11 .5 Halaelurus lineatus: top: 48 em mature female; bottom: 13 em immature male paratype (both Natal). T & d as in 2.1.
T
(
11 .6 Halaelurus lutarius: 24 em immature male (S. Mozambique). T & d as in 2.1 .
90
11.4 Galeuspolli: 30 em female (W. Africa; after Poll, 1951).
Genus Galeus Rafinesque, 1810
Prominent lip grooves. Nostrils without barbels, not connected to mouth by grooves. About 9 species, 1 in our region.
11.4 Galeus polli
Cadenat, 1959
Galeus palli Cadenat, 1959: 395 , Figs. 1-18 (Senegal) ; Springer, 1979:
65.
Pale brown, paler below; dark saddles prominent in
young, faint in adults. Ovoviviparous; 4-10 pups per litter,
born at 11-12 cm; mature at 30-35 cm; attains 42 cm. Outer
continental shelf from Spanish Morocco to northern
Namibia.
Genus Halaelurus Gill, 1862
Nine species, 3 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Snout tip rounded, not turned upward .... ... ...... ...... .... H. lutarius
Ib Snout tip pointed and turned upward ....... ........ .... ...... ... .... ... .. 2
2a Distance between D bases more than 3 x 1st D
height; lower edge of C deeply indented .......... .. .... .... . H. lineatus
2b Distance between D bases 2.5-3 x 1st D height;
lower edge of C fin almost straight ....... ...... .. ..... ..... H. natalensis
11.5 Halaelurus lineatus
Bass, O'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1975
Banded catshark
Band-kathaai
Halaelurus lineatus Bass, D'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1975: 12, Fig. 8
(Durban) ; Springer, 1979: 79*; van der Elst, 1981: 58*. Halaelurus
natalensis: Smith, SFSA No. 40 (part) .
Basic colour pale brown, cream below, with dark brown
markings. Oviparous; up to 16 egg-cases per female, hatching about a month after deposition; mature at 35-40 cm; attains 56 cm. Feeds chiefly on crustaceans. Durban to Beira,
Mozambique; from shore down to at least 290 m.
11.6 Halaelurus lutarius
Springer & 0' Aubrey, 1972
Brown catshark
Bruin kathaai
Halaelurus lutarius Springer & D' Aubrey, 1972: 6, Figs. lA, 1 (Delagoa
Bay, Somalia); Basset aI., 1975: 11*; Springer, 1979: 82*.
Colour pattern of a dull grey-brown, paler below, with a
few poorly defined dorsal saddles sometimes visible.
Ovoviviparous; 2 pups per litter; mature at 30 cm; attains 39
cm . Somalia and southern Mozambique; in depths of 338766m.
11 .5 Halaelurus lineatus: top: 48 em mature female; bottom: 13 em immature male paratype (both Natal). T & d as in 2.1.
T
(
11 .6 Halaelurus lutarius: 24 em immature male (S. Mozambique). T & d as in 2.1 .
90