Order HETERODONTIFORMES
Bullhead sharks
The only sharks combining 2 dorsal fins with strong fin
spines and an anal fin. Five pairs of gill slits on sides of head;
mouth small and well in front of eyes; snout pig-like; teeth
in rear of mouth expanded to molar-like crushers, for hard
invertebrate prey. Oviparous, eggs deposited in conical
cases with spiral flanges. Adults 70-165 cm. A single family
of inshore to deepish water benthic sharks found in warm
waters of the Pacific and western Indian oceans.
Family No.4: HETERODONTIDAE
by A.J.Bass
Bullhead sharks
Bulkophaaie
Distinguished by unique combination of dorsal fin spines
and an anal fin. The teeth are also distinctive: those at the
middle of the jaws have a single pointed cusp while the lateral teeth are bluntly rounded molars. Oviparous with distinctive, spirally flanged egg-cases. A single genus,
4.1 Heterodontus rama/heira: 64 em male (S. Mozambique). N = nostril.
48
Bulkophaaie
Heterodontus Biainville, 1816, with 8 species, only 1 in our
area. A second species, H. bonae-spei Ogilby, 1908, was
originally described as coming from Table Bay (Smith,
SFSA No.4) but this locality was erroneous and the species
is now considered to be invalid.
4.1 Heterodontus ramalheira
(Smith,1949)
PLATE 4
Mozambique bullhead shark Mosambiekse bulkophaai
Gyropleurodus ramalheira Smith, 1949: 367, Fig. 1 (off Inhambane,
Mozambique); Smith, SFSA No. 4a* . Heterodontus ramalheira: Bass et
aI., 1975: 18*.
Dark red-brown with scattered white spots. Males
mature at 60 cm, females at 75 cm; attains 83 cm. Known
from the type, obtained by a depth charge in deepish water,
5 specimens trawled in 110 - 275 m off southern Mozambique and 2 recorded from northwest Indian Ocean.
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