Australian sawtail catshark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Australian sawtail catshark |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Figaro
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| Species: |
boardmani
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| Range of the Australian sawtail catshark | |
| Synonyms | |
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Figaro boardmani socius Whitley, 1939 |
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The Australian sawtail catshark (Figaro boardmani) is a common type of catshark. It belongs to the Scyliorhinidae family. This shark lives only in the waters off southern Australia.
You can find it near the bottom of the ocean. It lives on the outer edge of the continental shelf and the upper continental slope. This is usually at depths from 85 to 823 meters (about 279 to 2,700 feet).
This shark has a slim body. It has special crests made of enlarged skin denticles (like tiny teeth) along its tail. These crests are on both the top and bottom edges of its caudal fin (tail fin). Its body has wide, dark stripes that are outlined in white.
The Australian sawtail catshark can grow up to 61 centimeters (about 2 feet) long. It mainly eats fish, crustaceans (like crabs and shrimp), and cephalopods (like squid and octopus). Female sharks lay eggs inside special egg capsules.
Sometimes, this shark is accidentally caught by fishing boats. However, fishing does not seem to be a big threat to its population. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists it as a species of Least Concern.
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Discovering the Australian Sawtail Catshark
An Australian scientist named Gilbert Percy Whitley first described this shark. He wrote about it in 1928 in a science magazine. He named it Pristiurus boardmani.
Whitley named the shark after his friend, William Boardman. William Boardman was the one who found the first known sharks of this type. The very first shark found was a 54 cm (21 inch) long adult male. It was caught by a fishing boat near Montague Island in New South Wales. Another common name for this shark is the banded shark.
For a long time, scientists thought this shark belonged to the genus Galeus. But in 2008, other scientists decided it should be in its own genus, Figaro. So, its scientific name became Figaro boardmani.
What Does the Australian Sawtail Catshark Look Like?
The Australian sawtail catshark can grow up to 61 cm (2 feet) long. Its body is slender and feels firm. It's almost round in shape.
Its snout (nose) is quite short and narrow. The eyes are shaped like horizontal ovals. They have small, protective third eyelids. Behind each eye, there is a tiny hole called a spiracle. The nostrils have small flaps of skin in front of them.
The shark has a wide, curved mouth. It has small teeth, each with a long point and smaller points on the sides. It also has five pairs of gill slits, which it uses to breathe.
The shark has two dorsal fins (fins on its back). The first dorsal fin is a bit larger than the second. Its pectoral fins (side fins) are wide. The pelvic fins (fins near its belly) are small and angled. Adult male sharks have their pelvic fins joined together.
The anal fin (fin near its tail) is shaped like a triangle. The caudal fin (tail fin) is short and low. It has a small lower part and a notch near the tip of the upper part.
Tiny, overlapping skin denticles cover the shark's body and fins. Each denticle has three small teeth. What makes this shark special are the larger, spiny denticles. These form clear crests along the front of its upper tail fin and under its tail.
This shark is grayish on top and lighter underneath. It has 12 to 13 dark stripes or bands along its body and tail. These dark bands have lighter edges and sometimes have white spots. Its dorsal and pectoral fins are dark at the bottom and light at the edges.
Where the Australian Sawtail Catshark Lives
The Australian sawtail catshark lives widely off southern Australia. It has been found from Carnarvon in Western Australia all the way to Noosa in Queensland. This includes all of Tasmania.
This shark is very common. It lives on the ocean floor (it's a demersal species). You can find it on the outer continental shelf and the upper continental slope. It lives at depths between 85 and 823 meters (279 to 2,700 feet).
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Australian sawtail catsharks sometimes gather in groups with only males or only females. They mostly eat fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods.
They reproduce by laying eggs. This is called being oviparous. It's possible they don't have a specific breeding season, like some other catsharks.
Female sharks have one working ovary and two working tubes for eggs. It seems only one egg develops in each tube at a time. The eggs are inside tough capsules. These capsules are about 6.8 to 7.4 cm (2.7 to 2.9 inches) long. They are 1.9 to 2.0 cm (0.75 to 0.79 inches) wide and 8 to 9 cm (3.1 to 3.5 inches) thick.
Male sharks become ready to reproduce when they are about 40 cm (16 inches) long. Females become ready when they are about 40 to 43 cm (16 to 17 inches) long.
Australian Sawtail Catshark and Humans
The Australian sawtail catshark is often caught by accident. This happens in bottom trawling commercial fisheries across its home range. These fisheries include those off Western Australia, the South East, and Queensland.
Sometimes, the caught sharks are kept and used. But more often, they are thrown back into the ocean. We don't know how many of the sharks thrown back survive.
This shark is still common and found in many places. Fishing does not seem to be a big threat to its numbers right now. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it as a species of Least Concern.
See also
In Spanish: Figaro boardmani para niños
