Japanese catshark

Japanese catshark
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Order:	Carcharhiniformes
Family:	Scyliorhinidae
Genus:	Apristurus
Species:	A. japonicus
Binomial name
Apristurus japonicus Nakaya, 1975

The Japanese catshark, Apristurus japonicus, is a cat shark of the family Scyliorhinidae found in the northwest Pacific from off Chiba Prefecture, Honshū, Japan between latitudes 36° N and 34° N.

Characteristics

This shark has a relatively slender body, trunk tapering towards the head. Snout moderately long, bell shaped and broad, preoral snout about 7 to 8% of total length. Large gill slits, rather small eyes in adults, nostrils fairly broad and a long broad, arched mouth are the characteristics this shark presents.

Interest to fishermen

Commonly taken by trawl off the type locality, and possibly utilized for oil, human consumption and fishmeal or fish cakes locally.

References

• Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Apristurus japonicus" in FishBase. July 2006 version.