Roughskin Catshark, Apristurus ampliceps Sasahara, Sato & Nakaya 2008
Other Names: Naked Catshark, Roundfin Catshark
Holotype of the Roughskin Catshark, Apristurus ampliceps, NMNZ P.27063, mature male 826 mm TL. Source: Fig. 1B, in Sasahara et al. (2008) CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper No. 022: 93-104. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Summary:
A small dark brown to black catshark covered in irregular, scattered paler flecks and squiggle-marks, a whitish caudal-fin tip, and a relatively large head.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2024, Apristurus ampliceps in Fishes of Australia, accessed 17 May 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2614
Roughskin Catshark, Apristurus ampliceps Sasahara, Sato & Nakaya 2008
More Info
|
Distribution |
Off Terrigal, New South Wales, to the South Tasman Rise south of Tasmania, and west to off Busselton, Western Australia. Elsewhere the species occurs in New Zealand. |
|
Features |
Vertebrae (33–36 monospondylous) Snout long, broad, length less than 4 times eye diameter and less than its width, slightly flattened and bell-shaped anterior to nostrils; teeth large, widely spaced, mostly with 3 cusps (but can have 5–7 near back of jaw); denticles mostly single-cusped, very widely-spaced; outer margin of anal fin broadly rounded; pectoral fins small. |
|
Biology |
Little is known of the biology of this species. Males mature at about 78 cm TL and females may mature at 68 cm TL. |
|
Etymology |
The specific name ampliceps is from the Latin amplus (= large) and caput (= head), in reference to the large head of this species. |
|
Species Citation |
Apristurus ampliceps Sasahara, Sato & Nakaya 2008, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper No. 022: 93, Figs. 1-5, 8, 14. Type locality: Off Urry Bank, New Zealand, 44°56'S, 174°06'E, depth 1052-1105 m. |
|
Author |
Bray, D.J. 2024 |
|
Resources |
Roughskin Catshark, Apristurus ampliceps Sasahara, Sato & Nakaya 2008
References
Compagno, L.J.V., Dando, M. & Fowler, S. 2005. A Field Guide to the Sharks of the World. London : Collins 368 pp. (as Apristurus sp. D)
Ferrón Jiménez, H., Paredes-Aliaga, M.V., Martinez-Perez, C. & Botella, H. 2018. Bioluminescent-like squamation in the galeomorph shark Apristurus ampliceps (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii). Contributions to Zoology 87(3): 187–196. https://doi.org/10.1163/18759866-08703004
Kyne, P.M., Cavanagh, R.D. & Lisney, T.J. 2015. Apristurus ampliceps. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T42701A68608709. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T42701A68608709.en. Accessed on 17 August 2023.
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. (as Apristurus sp. D)
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp.
Sasahara, R., Sato, K. & Nakaya, K. 2008. A new species of deepwater catshark, Apristurus ampliceps sp. nov. (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae), from New Zealand and Australia. pp. 93-104 in Last, P.R., White, W.T. & Pogonoski, J.J. (eds). Descriptions of new Australian chondrichthyans. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper No. 022: 1-358 http://hdl.handle.net/102.100.100/118353?index=1
White, W. 2008. Shark Families Heterodontidae to Pristiophoridae. pp. 32-100 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. (as Apristurus sp. 3)
