Scyliorhinus retifer (Garman, 1881)
Chain catshark
Scyliorhinus retifer
photo by Murch, A.

Family:  Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks), subfamily: Scyliorhininae
Max. size:  48 cm TL (male/unsexed); 47 cm TL (female)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 36 - 750 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: southern New England to Florida in the USA and northern Gulf of Mexico to Nicaragua. Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to Florida, and west Caribbean from Yucatan to Nicaragua (Ref. 26938).
Diagnosis:  Body small and slender; boldly marked body with a pattern of distinct black lines on a pale brownish background. Origin of the first dorsal fin behind free rear tip of pelvic fin (Ref. 26938).
Biology:  Found on the outer continental shelf and upper slope on rough, rocky bottom. Water temperature: 8.5-11.3°C. Food habits unknown. Oviparous. Not utilized at present. Found in waters 75-550 m deep (Ref. 26938). Lives at depths off 36-230m in the northern portion of its range, and in waters deeper than 460m in its southern range (Ref. 55294). Maximum depth reported taken from Ref. 55584.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 21 June 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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