Common Name
Antillean Marbled Catshark
Year Described
Springer, 1979
Identification
An elongate shark with a large head tapering posteriorly to a narrow caudal fin. Snout to pectoral distance is 19.4-20.8% TL. Pelvic origin separated from pectoral base by a distance less than inter-dorsal distance. Anal fin base short (< 14% TL). Pectoral fin broadly rounded. Caudal fin with very weak lower lobe. Enlarged dermal denticles on dorsal margin of tail. Subcaudal crest absent. Diplospondylous precaudal vertebrae number 41-48 (mean of 44.1).
Color
Body pale brown basally with bold black spots and saddle markings on body (usually <11). One row of blotches runs from the rear of the head along the dorsal surface to the tail, with obvious saddles under each dorsal fin. Another lower row of fainter blotches runs from behind the eye along the side to above the pelvic fin. Markings can be dark or obscure. Most of dorsal fin is dark with a pale outer margin. Other fins with indistinct darker markings. Mouth lining dark. Belly white.
Size
Mature adults from 33-46cm TL. Maximum size to 46cm TL.
Habitat
Insular in deep water from 293-658m. Lives on the bottom.
Range
Caribbean Sea: Straights of Florida, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Lesser Antilles.
References
Castro, J.I. 2011. The Sharks of North America. Oxford University Press, 640 pp.
Compagno, L., M. Dando, and S. Fowler. 2005. Sharks of the World. Princeton University Press, 480 pp.
Springer, S. 1979. A revision of the catsharks, family Scyliorhinidae. NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular No. 422: 1–15.
Other Notes
Possibly just a subspecies of G. arae from Caribbean island localities. It’s status as a full species is not certain.