Cephaloscyllium ventriosum (Garman, 1880)
Swellshark
Cephaloscyllium ventriosum
photo by Murch, A.

Family:  Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks), subfamily: Scyliorhininae
Max. size:  110 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 5 - 457 m
Distribution:  Eastern Pacific: central California, USA to the Gulf of California and southern Mexico; central Chile.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Found on the continental shelves and upper slopes from inshore to deeper waters. Prefers rocky, algal-covered areas of kelp beds. Nocturnal. Feeds on bony fishes, alive and dead, and probably crustaceans. Can inflate its stomach with water or air. Oviparous. Can live in tanks for several years and females can lay eggs in captivity. Occurs in aggregations while resting, sometimes piled one on top of the other. Sometimes caught by sport divers but not used.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 21 January 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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