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Longnose cat shark (Apristurus kampae) — Scyliorhinidae

Longnose cat shark

Apristurus kampae
LC · Least Concern

The Longnose cat shark (Apristurus kampae) is a saltwater fish of the family Scyliorhinidae that grows up to 58 cm.

Length
58.4 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
180–1888.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The longnose catshark is a small deep-sea shark from the eastern Pacific, ranging from central and southern California to the Gulf of California, possibly to the Galapagos. It grows to about 58 cm and has a slender, dark brown body with a long snout and two small dorsal fins set far back. It lives on the upper continental slope at great depth, down to nearly 1900 metres, on or near the bottom. The fish is oviparous and lays eggs in pairs; the embryos live solely off the yolk. Because of its very slow reproduction the species is vulnerable to fishing, but the IUCN assesses it as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Longnose cat shark?

The Longnose cat shark has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Longnose cat shark live?

The Longnose cat shark lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Longnose cat shark get?

The Longnose cat shark grows to a maximum of about 58 cm.

Is the Longnose cat shark dangerous to humans?

No, the Longnose cat shark is harmless to humans.

Is the Longnose cat shark edible?

The Longnose cat shark is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Langsnuitkathaai sourced
English name
Longnose cat shark verified
Scientific name
Apristurus kampae
Family
Scyliorhinidae
Other names
Longnose catshark verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
58.4 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
180 sourced
Max depth (m)
1888.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Apristurus

More from the family Scyliorhinidae

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