Paragaleus pectoralis (Atlantic weasel shark)

Budker, 1935

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

Paragaleus pectoralis (Atlantic weasel shark) [Illustration by Ann Hecht ©]

Identification

A slender shark with a moderately long snout, large oval eyes, short small mouth, small serrated upper teeth, erect-cusped lower teeth, and plain fins. Colour light grey or bronze with longitudinal yellow bands, white below.

Size

To 1.4 m TL.

Range

East coast, northern Namibia; elsewhere, northwards in the tropical Eastern Atlantic. Habitat Tropical shelf, close inshore to offshore from the surfline to 100 m.

Biology

Rare here. Bears 1 to 4 young. Feeds mainly on cephalopods.

Human Impact

None here.

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