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Squatina aculeata Cuvier, 1829

Sawback angelshark
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Squatina aculeata   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Squatina aculeata (Sawback angelshark)
Squatina aculeata
Picture by FAO

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Squatiniformes (Angel sharks) > Squatinidae (Angel sharks)
Etymology: Squatina: Latin for skate, which angel sharks superficially resemble, presumably tautonymous with Squalus squatina Linnaeus 1758 (no species mentioned) (See ETYFish); aculeata: Latin for sharp-pointed, referring to large thorns on head and along back (See ETYFish).
More on author: Cuvier.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 30 - 500 m (Ref. 247). Subtropical; 43°N - 19°S, 18°W - 30°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Eastern Atlantic: western Mediterranean, Morocco, Senegal, Guinea to Nigeria, Gabon to Angola.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?, range 124 - ? cm
Max length : 188 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 247); common length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26999); max. published weight: 40.0 kg (Ref. 128028)

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Found mainly on muddy bottom (Ref. 26999). Feeds on small sharks and jacks. Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Utilized dried salted and fresh for human consumption; liver oil and hide also utilized (Ref. 247).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Ovoviviparous, embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 1 - Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/1):1-249. Rome, FAO. (Ref. 247)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)

  Critically Endangered (CR) (A2bcd+3cd); Date assessed: 19 June 2017

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial
FAO - Fisheries: species profile; Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
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References

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Special reports

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Fisheries: species profile; Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | National databases | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoobank | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 13.1 - 17.2, mean 15.2 °C (based on 65 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00676 (0.00295 - 0.01551), b=3.07 (2.88 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  4.0   ±0.4 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Medium.
Nutrients (Ref. 124155):  Calcium = 13.9 [3.0, 67.9] mg/100g; Iron = 0.738 [0.191, 2.174] mg/100g; Protein = 19.7 [17.7, 21.7] %; Omega3 = 0.371 [0.168, 0.804] g/100g; Selenium = 33.5 [9.7, 99.1] μg/100g; VitaminA = 9.1 [3.3, 26.2] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.41 [0.20, 0.74] mg/100g (wet weight);