Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Fisheries and for a world without hunger Aquaculture Department

Species Fact Sheets Squatina africana (Regan, 1908)

Squatina africana: (click for more)

FAO Names En - African angelshark, Fr - Ange de mer africain, Sp - Angelote africano. 3Alpha Code: SUF Taxonomic Code: 1090300403

Scientific Name with Original Description Squatina africana Regan, 1908, Ann-Natal Gov.Mus., 1(3):248, pl. 38. Holotype: British Museum (Natural History), 800 mm male. Type Locality: Durban Bay, Natal, South Africa.

Diagnostic Features fieldmarks: An angelshark with simple, conical nasal barbels and virtually smooth anterior nasal flaps, dermal flaps on sides of head without angular lobes, broad, angular pectoral fins, and no ocelli on body.

Anterior nasal barbels simple, with a narrow, tapering tip; posterior margin of anterior nasal flaps between nasal barbels and tips smooth or weakly fringed; distance from eye to spiracle less than 1.5 times eye diameter; dermal folds on sides of head without lobes; heavy spines present on snout and above eyes, but none on midline of back and tail. Origin of first dorsal fin usually in front of pelvic rear tips; pectoral fins rather broad, free rear tips broadly subangular. No ocelli on body.

Geographical Distribution

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Tropical and warm temperate waters of the southwestern Indian Ocean: Eastern Cape coast of South Africa north to Mozambique and Tanzania.

Habitat and Biology A common benthic and epibenthic shark on the continental shelf and uppermost slope,ranging in depth from the surf line close inshore to 494 m depth, with most occurring between 60 and 300 m depth. Development ovoviviparous, number of young probably about 7 to 11 in a litter. Eats bony fishes, squids and octopuses.

Size Maximum total length size about 108 cm, males maturing at about 75 to 78 cm and reaching over 80 cm, females maturing between 90 and 93 cm and reaching at least 108 cm; size at birth between 28 and 34 cm.

Interest to Fisheries Limited, often taken by bottom trawlers.

Source of Information FAO species catalogue Vol.4. Sharks of the world. An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Shark Species Known to Date Part 1 - Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. Compagno, L.J.V.1984FAO Fisheries Synopsis. , (125) Vol.4, Part 1.

Bibliography Bass, D'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1975c Bigelow & Schroeder, 1948

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Smith, 1949

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department