Holohalaelurus favus Human, 2006

Family:  Pentanchidae (Deepwater catsharks)
Max. size:  51.5 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 301.3 g
Environment:  pelagic-oceanic; marine; depth range 200 - 1000 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: South Africa.
Diagnosis:  This relatively large species is distinguished by the following characters: denticles on dorsal midline greatly enlarged from snout to second dorsal origin; denticles on pectoral fin dorsal surface greatly enlarged in adults; no club-shaped papillae on the distal tip of the clasper; buccal papillae in mouth large and prominent on upper and lower surfaces; moderate vertebral count, 124 total vertebrae in the holotype (123 total in paratype, mean 117.8); relatively high tooth counts, 65 total upper teeth in the holotype (66 in the paratype, mean 66.3), 70 total lower teeth in the holotype (58 in paratype, mean 60.3); covered in irregularly shaped spots and reticulations on a brown background, resembling a honeycomb pattern; white spots rarely present, if present, are inconspicuous (Ref. 75585).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (EN); Date assessed: 01 August 2019 (A2d) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.