Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) >
Pentanchidae (Deepwater catsharks)
Etymology: Apristurus: a-, Latin privative, i.e., without; pristis, from pristes (Gr.), sawyer (but here meaning saw); oura (Gr.), tail, referring to absence of saw-toothed crest of enlarged dermal denticles along upper edge of caudal fin as found in the closely related Pristiurus (=Galeus) (See ETYFish); exsanguis: ex (L.), out of; sanguis (L.), blood, i.e., bloodless or lifeless, referring to its characteristic pale coloration and flaccid body (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 560 - 1200 m (Ref. 40896). Deep-water
Southwest Pacific: New Zealand.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 67.5, range 65 - 70 cm
Max length : 90.8 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40896)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Spiral valve turns 12-15; monospondylous vertebrae 40-47; nostril diameter always greater than inter-nostril width; posterior tip of pectoral fin anterior to mid-point of paired fin interspace; the distance between axils of dorsal fins about equal to the anal fin base length; area of the first dorsal fin equal to or slightly less than the area of second; anal fin low with a moderately long base. Pale gray to pale brown in color.
Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Minimum depth from Ref. 58018.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).
Sato, K., K. Nakaya and A.L. Stewart, 1999. A new species of the deep-water catshark genus Apristurus from New Zealand waters (Chondrichthyes: Scyliorhinidae). J. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 29(4):325-335. (Ref. 40896)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 4.9 - 8.1, mean 7 °C (based on 26 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00355 (0.00175 - 0.00721), b=3.08 (2.90 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec assumed to be <10).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High vulnerability (56 of 100).
