FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

1282 Sharks
13a. Pectoral fin broader than mouth width; upper surface of body with dark saddles,
interspersed with light blotches and flecks that extend onto the fins (temperate eastern
Australia) (Fig. 13) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cephaloscyllium sp. C
13b. Pectoral-fin width about equal to mouth width; upper surface of body heavily mottled,
with saddles (tropical Australia) (Fig. 14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cephaloscyllium sp. E
(after Last and Stevens, 1994)
Fig. 13 Cephaloscyllium sp. C
14a. Head broadly flattened and spatulate,
snout elongated and usually
longer than mouth width; labial furrows
very long, uppers reaching upper
symphysis (Fig. 15a) . . . . . . . . . . . → 15
14b. Head moderately or little-flattened,
not spatulate, snout equal or usually
shorter than mouth width; labial furrows
shorter or absent, when present
not reaching upper symphysis
(Fig. 15b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . → 20
Fig. 14 Cephaloscyllium sp. E
a) Apristurus
b) Galeus
longicephalus boardmani
Fig. 15 ventral view of head
15a. One dorsal fin (Fig. 16) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pentanchus profundicolus
15b. Two dorsal fins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Apristurus) →16
16a. First dorsal fin much smaller than second, about 1/2 its area or less, with its origin usually
behind pelvic-fin insertions but over last 1/4 of pelvic-fin bases in some species . . . . . . . . → 17
16b. First dorsal fin nearly or quite as large as second, 2/3 to equal its area, with its origin
about opposite pelvic-fin midbases or more posterior and about opposite last 1/3 of
pelvic-fin bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . → 19
17a. Origin of first dorsal fin somewhat in front of pelvic-fin insertions; distance between
pectoral-and pelvic-fin bases extremely short, less than preoral snout, rear tips of
pectoral fins about opposite or just in front of pelvic-fin origins (Fig. 17) . . . . Apristurus herklotsi
17b. Origin of first dorsal fin near or behind pelvic-fin insertions; distance between pectoraland
pelvic-fin bases long, at least length of preoral snout, rear tips of pectoral fins far
in front of pelvic-fin origins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . → 18
1 dorsal fin
Fig. 16 Pentanchus profundicolus Fig. 17 Apristurus herklotsi
18a. Colour white or reddish white; snout relatively narrow and pointed; mouth extending well
in front of eyes; eyes very small, about equal to longest gill slit (Fig. 18) . . . . . Apristurus sibogae
18b. Colour black, brown, or grey; snout broad and rounded; mouth below eyes; eyes larger,
their length much greater than widest gill slit (Fig. 19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Apristurus verweyi
Fig. 18 Apristurus sibogae Fig. 19 Apristurus verweyi