Sawback angelshark
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| Squatina aculeata Cuvier, 1829 |
The sawback angelshark, Squatina aculeata, is an angel shark of the family Squatinidae found in the subtropical eastern Atlantic and western Mediterranean, Morocco, Senegal, Guinea to Nigeria, Gabon to Angola between latitudes 43° N and 19° S, at depths of between 30 and 500 m. Its length is up to 1.88 m.
The sawback angelshark is found mainly on muddy bottoms. It feeds on small sharks, jacks, cuttlefish and crustaceans. It is utilized dried salted and fresh for human consumption, liver oil and hide is also utilized.
Coloration is dull grey or light brown on the back sparsely scattered with small irregular white spots and regular small dark brownish spots. There are large thorns on the head and in a row along the back. The head is concave between the eyes.
Reproduction is ovoviviparous.
[edit] References
- "Squatina aculeata". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. July 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Compagno, Dando, & Fowler, Sharks of the World, Princeton University Press, New Jersey 2005 ISBN 0-691-12072-2
