Natal Shyshark

discussion

Remarks: The least known and perhaps rarest species of Haploblepharus, it is known from very few specimens and is rarely observed despite it being a coastal nearshore species usually found at less than 30 m depth. A further detailed morphological and genetic study is required to fully delineate and define this species from the other members of the genus. Conservation status: VU (2019).

An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa

materials_examined

South Africa voucher material: Paratypes: SAIAB 6075 [formerly ORI 2424], SAIAB 6077 [formerly ORI 2574]. Non-types: SAIAB 14005, SAIAB 26156, SAIAB 26934, SAIAB 26937, SAIAB 26939, SAIAB 26964, SAIAB 26965, SAIAB 48494, SAIAB 48496, SAM 29884, SAM 32527, SAM 32553, SAM 32554. See Human (2006) for details. South African distribution: Endemic. Mossel Bay (WC) to Zinkwazi north of Durban (KZN).

An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa

description

Description. Morphometric and meristic data are given in Table 4. Holotype, adolescent female 415 mm TL (paratypes, mature male 504 mm TL, mature female 481 mm TL, mean of all specimens examined in Table 4, including the type series, see Study material): H. kistnasamyi is a stocky bodied Haploblepharus shark with a relatively narrow head, often coming to a point, head width at the pectoral origin 2.60 (2.37, 2.17, 2.89) times the preoral length; head length 1.28 (1.29, 1.29, 1.24) times distance from snout tip to first gill slit; height of first gill slit 1.71 (1.72, 1.72, 2.07) times the height of the fifth gill slit; eye length 4.88 (3.09, 4.7, 5.0) times longer than spiracle length; basimandibular cartilage found at the symphysis of the Meckels cartilage in the lower jaw; mouth length 1.0 (1.04, 0.87, 0.93) times the prenarial length; mouth width 4.71 (4.81, 6.07, 6.43) times the upper labial furrow length; labial cartilages present; nasal lobes fused into a nasal flap that covers the excurrent apertures and extends to the mouth; interorbital width 1.46 (1.3, 1.6, 1.34) times the nasal flap width; head strongly depressed, head width at the posterior margin of the orbit 1.52 (1.6

A taxonomic revision of the catshark genus Haploblepharus Garman 1913 (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae)

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Haploblepharus kistnasamyi is distinguished from its congeners by having a relatively stocky body at all maturity stages; abdomen width 10.6 % TL for the holotype (paratypes ɗ 9.2 % TL, Ψ 9.3 % TL, mean 11.0 % TL); snout acutely rounded, often coming to a point; head only slightly depressed, head width at the posterior margin of the orbit 11.1 % TL for the holotype (paratypes ɗ 10.2 % TL, Ψ 10.5 % TL, mean 12.7 % TL); trunk not depressed, trunk height 10.6 % TL for the holotype (paratypes ɗ 9.5 % TL, Ψ 10.4 % TL, mean 9.9 % TL) and trunk width 11.7 % TL for the holotype (paratypes ɗ 9.9 % TL, Ψ 10.1 % TL, mean 12.2 % TL); claspers of mature males stout, inner length 7.2 times the base in the male paratype (mean inner length 7.0 times base). The holotype of H. kistnasamyi has 57 rows of teeth in the upper jaw (mean 60.9) and 57 rows of teeth in the lower jaw (mean 59.1). The holotype and both paratypes of H. kistnasamyi each have a total of 133 (129.5 mean) vertebral centra. Haploblepharus kistnasamyi adults always have eight to nine distinct saddles, with spots found only on the saddles, giving a blotchy appearance laterally.

A taxonomic revision of the catshark genus Haploblepharus Garman 1913 (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae)