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Cat Sharks. Scyliorhinidae species.
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page are copyright protected: © 2010 Kelvin Aitken.
All rights reserved. Students may use this information for
personal research only. Not for commercial use.
With over 100 species, catsharks are the largest family of
sharks. The name 'catshark' comes from these sharks' cat-like
eyes and their slender shape. Despite their diversity, very
little is known about them. This is due partly to their nocturnal
lifestyle and deep-water habitats; some species are found
a depth of more than 2000 m while others can be found in shallow
sheltered bays.
It can be difficult to differentiate between species of catsharks
due to similarities in colouring and patterns as well as overlapping
ranges with both shallow and deep water species. Catsharks
can be found in all Australian waters from the far northern
tropics to the cold temperate zones south of Tasmania. Externally
they differ from the similar dogfishes by having an anal fin
and from the houndsharks by having the first dorsal fin, when
viewed in profile, slightly over or behind the pelvic fins.
These harmless sharks live on the seabed where they eat small
fish and invertebrates.
Draughtboard Swell Shark (Cephaloscyllium laticeps)
The swell sharks, so named for their ability to blow themselves
up like blimps with water or air, make up a large group within
this family. The most common species of swell shark encountered
by anglers and divers is the harmless Draughtboard Shark.
It is found in cool southern waters from New South Wales to
Western Australia. Its brown to grey body is covered with
dark blotches and spots that give it the appearance of a chessboard.
The head is slightly flattened and the golden eyes are almond-shaped.
The pectoral fins are large and two dorsal fins are set well
back on the body. Draughtboard Sharks are often found squeezed
into lobster pots where they have become caught while looking
for food. Their pale ridged egg cases are often found attached
to kelp or weed.
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