Izak catshark

discussion

Remarks: A very common species in the western Cape along the outer continental shelf and upper slope. Its eastern distribution is somewhat confused due to misidentification with other Holohalaelurus species in KZN. Conservation status: LC (2020).

An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa

materials_examined

South Africa voucher material: Neotype: SAM 32448. Non-types: BMNH 1935.5. 2.55, SAIAB 21827, SAIAB 21828, SAIAB 21829, SAIAB 21830, SAIAB 21831, SAIAB 21832, SAIAB 21833, SAIAB 21834, SAIAB 21835, SAIAB 21836, SAIAB 21837, SAIAB 21838, SAIAB 21839, SAIAB 21840, SAIAB 21841, SAIAB 21842, SAIAB 21843, SAIAB 21844, SAIAB 21845, SAIAB 21846, SAIAB 21847, SAIAB 21848, SAIAB 21849, SAIAB 21849, SAIAB 21850, SAIAB 21851, SAIAB 21852, SAIAB 21853, SAIAB 21854, SAIAB 21855, SAIAB 21936, SAIAB 21937, SAIAB 21938, SAM 12987, SAM 12988, SAM 12989, SAM 12990, SAM 12991, SAM 24408, SAM 32995, SAM 34500, SAM 34648. South African distribution: A near endemic which is most common in the WC with its range extending to the east and north to Durban (KZN) where it is rare, and up the west coast to southeast of L ̹ deritz, Namibia.

An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa

description

Description. Morphometric and meristic data are given in Table 2. Neotype, mature male 628 mm TL (mean of all specimens examined in Table 2, including the neotype, see Study material): body slender and elongate; head depressed, head width 2.33 (2.60) times its height at the posterior margin of the orbit, and head width 1.86 (2.14) times its height at the pectoral fin origin; trunk depressed, trunk width 1.46 (1.48) times its height; abdomen slightly depressed, abdomen width 1.08 (1.21) times its height; tail slightly compressed, tail width 0.86 (0.98) times its height; caudal peduncle compressed, caudal peduncle height 1.14 (1.44) times its width; ventral sensory pores conspicuously black; head moderately long, head length 0.22 (0.22) times the precaudal length; snout short, rounded and coming to a point, preoral length 0.22 (0.30) times the snout to first gill slit distance; mouth moderately long and relatively wide, moderately arched, buccal papillae in mouth large and prominent on upper and lower surfaces, mouth width 2.42 (2.85) times its length; eye slit like, eye length 2.07 (1.88) times its height, distance from snout to the anterior origin of the orbit 0.66 (0.68) times the

A taxonomic revision of the catshark genus Holohalaelurus Fowler 1934 (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae), with descriptions of two new species.

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Holohalaelurus regani is the largest species of Holohalaelurus, and the following distinguishes H. regani from other Holohalaelurus sharks: denticles on dorsal midline from snout to second dorsal fin origin greatly enlarged; denticles on dorsal surface of pectoral fins greatly enlarged in adults; club-shaped papillae not present on the distal tip of the clasper; buccal papillae in mouth large and prominent on upper and lower surfaces; relatively high vertebral count, 126 total vertebrae in the neotype (mean 121.2); relatively high tooth counts, 71 upper teeth in total in the neotype (mean 64.5), 72 lower teeth in total in the neotype (mean 59.8). Adults with large horseshoe shaped markings, larger than eye diameter, on yellow-brown background; juveniles with large, irregularly shaped spots, ontogenetically fusing into the adult pattern; white spots never present.

A taxonomic revision of the catshark genus Holohalaelurus Fowler 1934 (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae), with descriptions of two new species.