11: SCYLIORHINIDAE (CATSHARKS)
~T
11.13 Poroderma afrieanum: 72 mature female (Algoa Bay). N, T & d as in 2.1.
Genus Poroderma Smith, 1837
Three species endemic to our area. They are easily
distinguished from other local sharks by long nasal barbels
and the lack of grooves from the nostrils to the mouth.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Free part of nasal barbel short, less than Vz of nostril
length; colour pattern of dark longitudinal stripes ..... P. africanum
Ib Free part of nasal barbel long, almost equal to
nasal length; colour pattern of solid spots or rings,
not always in longitudinal stripes ................................. ......... 2
2a Colour pattern of pale-centred spots or open rings,
broken up in sharks longer than 30 cm to form
"rosettes" ...................................................... P. pantherinum
2b Colour pattern of solid spots without a pronounced
tendency for these to break up into "rosettes" .............. P. marleyi
11.13 Poroderma africanum
(Gmelin, 1789)
PLATE 3
Striped cats hark
Streep-kathaai
Squalus africanus Gmelin, 1789: 144 (African seas). Poroderma
africanum: Smith, SFSA No. 37*; Bass et al., 1975: 28*; Springer, 1979:
N
d
112*; van der Elst, 1981: 59*. Conoporoderma africanum: Smith & Smith,
1966: 25*.
Background colour cream with dark brown, almost
black, horizontal bands with pale centre stripes; juveniles
may have solid bands of colour. Precaudal vertebrae 77-85.
Oviparous; hatches at about 14 cm; mature at 60-70 cm;
attains 95 cm. Abundant in shallow water down to 100 min
southwestern Cape. Less common in Algoa Bay where it is
rarely taken from shore but trawled in 50 - 100 m. Scarce at
East London and not recorded from Natal.
11.14 Poroderma marleyi
Fowler, 1933
Blackspotted catshark
Swartkol-kathaai
Poroderma marleyi Fowler, 1933: 234 (Natal); Smith, SFSA No. 35*;
Bass et al., 1975: 29*; Springer, 1979: 114.
Colour (in formalin) greyish or brown dorsally, with
brown to black spots. Attains 58 cm. Known only from 4
specimens from Natal and 1 from Port St. Johns, Transkei.
(
... ,.
~ ... : .. : ..
. .'
' . .
11.14 Poroderma marleyi: 43 em female (Port SI. Johns). Ventral view of head etc. of 58 cm mature male (Natal). N, T & d as in 2.1.
94
~T
11.13 Poroderma afrieanum: 72 mature female (Algoa Bay). N, T & d as in 2.1.
Genus Poroderma Smith, 1837
Three species endemic to our area. They are easily
distinguished from other local sharks by long nasal barbels
and the lack of grooves from the nostrils to the mouth.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Free part of nasal barbel short, less than Vz of nostril
length; colour pattern of dark longitudinal stripes ..... P. africanum
Ib Free part of nasal barbel long, almost equal to
nasal length; colour pattern of solid spots or rings,
not always in longitudinal stripes ................................. ......... 2
2a Colour pattern of pale-centred spots or open rings,
broken up in sharks longer than 30 cm to form
"rosettes" ...................................................... P. pantherinum
2b Colour pattern of solid spots without a pronounced
tendency for these to break up into "rosettes" .............. P. marleyi
11.13 Poroderma africanum
(Gmelin, 1789)
PLATE 3
Striped cats hark
Streep-kathaai
Squalus africanus Gmelin, 1789: 144 (African seas). Poroderma
africanum: Smith, SFSA No. 37*; Bass et al., 1975: 28*; Springer, 1979:
N
d
112*; van der Elst, 1981: 59*. Conoporoderma africanum: Smith & Smith,
1966: 25*.
Background colour cream with dark brown, almost
black, horizontal bands with pale centre stripes; juveniles
may have solid bands of colour. Precaudal vertebrae 77-85.
Oviparous; hatches at about 14 cm; mature at 60-70 cm;
attains 95 cm. Abundant in shallow water down to 100 min
southwestern Cape. Less common in Algoa Bay where it is
rarely taken from shore but trawled in 50 - 100 m. Scarce at
East London and not recorded from Natal.
11.14 Poroderma marleyi
Fowler, 1933
Blackspotted catshark
Swartkol-kathaai
Poroderma marleyi Fowler, 1933: 234 (Natal); Smith, SFSA No. 35*;
Bass et al., 1975: 29*; Springer, 1979: 114.
Colour (in formalin) greyish or brown dorsally, with
brown to black spots. Attains 58 cm. Known only from 4
specimens from Natal and 1 from Port St. Johns, Transkei.
(
... ,.
~ ... : .. : ..
. .'
' . .
11.14 Poroderma marleyi: 43 em female (Port SI. Johns). Ventral view of head etc. of 58 cm mature male (Natal). N, T & d as in 2.1.
94