Haploblepharus edwardsii (Puffadder shyshark)

(Voigt, in Cuvier, 1832)

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates)  > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) >.Chondrichthyes > Elasmobranchii > Galeomorphii > Carcharhiniformes > Scyliorhinidae

Haploblepharus edwardsii (Puffadder shyshark) [Illustration by Ann Hecht ©]

Identification

A shyshark with a typical (southeastern Cape) colour form, sandy brown with seven dark reddish-brown saddles bordered by black and numerous small dark brown and white spots, white below. The rare Natal form (illustrated, possibly a distinct species) has much darker brown saddles with irregular white spots on a cream background, white below.

Size

To 60 cm TL.

Range

East coast, Cape Agulhas to Natal. Endemic.

Habitat

Soft bottom, close inshore to 130 m.

Biology

Lays one egg per oviduct. Eats bony fish, including anchovy, maasbanker, gobies, gapers, and fish offal, also crabs, shrimp, mysids, hermit crabs, mantis shrimp, squid, and polychaetes.

Human Impact

Caught by sports anglers and by commercial trawlers.

Text by Leonard J.V. Compagno, David A. Ebert and Malcolm J. Smale