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); africana: ana- (L.), belonging to: Africa, referring to distribution from South Africa to Mozambique, Tanzania and Madagascar. (See ETYFish).
More on author: Regan.

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

Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 494 m (Ref. 5578), usually 60 - 300 m (Ref. 5578). Subtropical; 4°S - 32°S

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

Western Indian Ocean: tropical and warm temperate waters from Tanzania to the eastern Cape coast of South Africa.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 91.5, range 90 - 93 cm
Max length : 80.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 247); 108.0 cm TL (female)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0. A distinctly flattened shark with large pectoral fins separated from the round head by notches (Ref. 5578). Brown above with a reticulated pattern of light spots, white below (Ref. 5578).

Found on the continental shelf and uppermost slope, from the surf line close inshore to 494 m depth (Ref. 247). Feeds on bony fish, squid and octopus (Ref. 247). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449), with about 7 to 11 young in a litter (Ref. 247). Sometimes caught by surf anglers (Ref. 6588).

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

Ovoviviparous, with about 7 to 11 young in a litter. Size at birth between 28 and 34 cm. 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. 126983)

Near Threatened (NT) (A2d); Date assessed: 15 July 2017

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Traumatogenic

Human uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes

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

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Spawning aggregation
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance
BRUVS

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Nutrients
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins Misc.
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 14 - 24.8, mean 18.2 °C (based on 68 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00479 (0.00261 - 0.00876), b=3.03 (2.86 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for species & Genus-BS (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.2 ±0.5 se; based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=7).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High vulnerability (65 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Squatina africana Regan, 1908