5: SQUALIDAE (DOGFISHES)
Genus Scymnorhinus Bonaparte, 1846
Dorsal fins subequal, first situated midway between P &
V; no D spines. Short blunt snout. Upper teeth spiky,
smooth-edged; lowers triangular, serrated. One species.
Seal shark
5.22 Scymnorhinus licha
(Bonnaterre, 1788)
Robhaai
Squalus licha Bonnaterre, 1788: 12 (France). Dalatias licha: Smith,
SFSA No. 46*; Bass et aI., 1976: 41*.
9-1-9
Teeth 9-1-9'
Dark grey above and below, with trailing edges of fins
transparent. Ten to 16 pups per litter, born at about 35 cm;
mature at 120 cm (females); attains 120 cm (males) and almost 160 cm (females). Scavenger-predator near seabed,
often capturing fast-swimming prey. Widespread on continental slopes and outer shelves, in our area common off
southern Mozambique and Natal, rare off Algoa Bay, absent from southwestern Cape and Namibia.
Genus Somniosus Lesueur, 1818
Dorsal fins subequal, without spines, the first midway between P and V; C with distinct lower lobe. Several species of
relatively large sharks (up to about 5 m); only 2 records
from southern hemisphere.
5.22 Scymnorhinus lichia: 41 cm male (Natal). T & d as in 2.1 .
5.23 Somniosus microcephalus
(Schneider, 1801)
Greenland shark
Groenlandse haai
Squalus microcephalus Schneider, in Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 135
("Habitat in mari glaciali"). Somniosus microcephalus: Bass et aI., 1976:
43*.
48
Teeth 53'
Dark grey above and below. Attains at least 5 m. Common in cold waters of northern hemisphere; a female of
about 4.4 m trawled off Cape Columbine.
Genus Squa/us Linnaeus, 1758
Dorsal fin spines well developed, without lateral grooves.
Dermal ridge or keel on each side of caudal peduncle. Precaudal pits usually present, sometimes absent. Caudal fin
without subterminal notch. Several species, 4 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Second 0 almost as large as 1st; nasal flap with
prominent lobe resembling a small barbel ....................... S. asper
1 b Second 0 markedly smaller than 1 st; nasal flap with a
small or minute lobe, not large enough to resemble a barbel ....... 2
2a First 0 spine behind inner P corner; usually white
spots on upper trunk ............................................. S. acanthias
2b First 0 spine over or in front of inner P corner; no white spots .... 3
5.23 Somniosus microcephalus: 174 cm female (NW Atlantic; after Bigelow & Schroeder, 1948). T & d as in 2.1.
60
Genus Scymnorhinus Bonaparte, 1846
Dorsal fins subequal, first situated midway between P &
V; no D spines. Short blunt snout. Upper teeth spiky,
smooth-edged; lowers triangular, serrated. One species.
Seal shark
5.22 Scymnorhinus licha
(Bonnaterre, 1788)
Robhaai
Squalus licha Bonnaterre, 1788: 12 (France). Dalatias licha: Smith,
SFSA No. 46*; Bass et aI., 1976: 41*.
9-1-9
Teeth 9-1-9'
Dark grey above and below, with trailing edges of fins
transparent. Ten to 16 pups per litter, born at about 35 cm;
mature at 120 cm (females); attains 120 cm (males) and almost 160 cm (females). Scavenger-predator near seabed,
often capturing fast-swimming prey. Widespread on continental slopes and outer shelves, in our area common off
southern Mozambique and Natal, rare off Algoa Bay, absent from southwestern Cape and Namibia.
Genus Somniosus Lesueur, 1818
Dorsal fins subequal, without spines, the first midway between P and V; C with distinct lower lobe. Several species of
relatively large sharks (up to about 5 m); only 2 records
from southern hemisphere.
5.22 Scymnorhinus lichia: 41 cm male (Natal). T & d as in 2.1 .
5.23 Somniosus microcephalus
(Schneider, 1801)
Greenland shark
Groenlandse haai
Squalus microcephalus Schneider, in Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 135
("Habitat in mari glaciali"). Somniosus microcephalus: Bass et aI., 1976:
43*.
48
Teeth 53'
Dark grey above and below. Attains at least 5 m. Common in cold waters of northern hemisphere; a female of
about 4.4 m trawled off Cape Columbine.
Genus Squa/us Linnaeus, 1758
Dorsal fin spines well developed, without lateral grooves.
Dermal ridge or keel on each side of caudal peduncle. Precaudal pits usually present, sometimes absent. Caudal fin
without subterminal notch. Several species, 4 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Second 0 almost as large as 1st; nasal flap with
prominent lobe resembling a small barbel ....................... S. asper
1 b Second 0 markedly smaller than 1 st; nasal flap with a
small or minute lobe, not large enough to resemble a barbel ....... 2
2a First 0 spine behind inner P corner; usually white
spots on upper trunk ............................................. S. acanthias
2b First 0 spine over or in front of inner P corner; no white spots .... 3
5.23 Somniosus microcephalus: 174 cm female (NW Atlantic; after Bigelow & Schroeder, 1948). T & d as in 2.1.
60