FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Scyliorhinidae 1283
19a. Gill slits covered with grooves and pleats that extend to the epibranchial area and to the
entire throat region behind the jaws; snout shorter, preoral length about 9% of total
length (Fig. 20) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Apristurus spongiceps
19b. Gill slits not covered with grooves and pleats; snout extremely long, preoral length about
12% of total length (Fig. 21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Apristurus longicephalus
grooves
and pleats Fig. 20 Apristurus spongiceps Fig. 21 Apristurus longicephalus
20a. Dorsal caudal-fin margin, and sometimes preventral
margin, with a crest of enlarged denticles
(Fig. 22a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . → 21
20b. No caudal-fin crests of denticles (Fig. 22b) . . . . . . . . → 28
21a. Pectoral fins relatively small, width of their posterior
margins usually smaller than mouth width; subocular
ridges well-developed, eyes dorsolateral; body soft;
colour plain, no pattern (Figs 23 and 24) . . . (Parmaturus) → 22
21b. Pectoral fins relatively large, width of their posterior
margins usually larger than mouth width; subocular
ridges obsolete or nearly so, eye lateral; body firm;
colour pattern of blotches and spots often present
(Figs 26 to 31) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Galeus) → 23
22a. Colour light brown with distal parts and anterior margins of fins, snout, nostrils, and gills
blackish brown in young, possibly uniform blackish brown in adults; second dorsal fin
about as large as anal fin (South China Sea, just adjacent to the area) (Fig. 23) . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parmaturus melanobranchius
22b. Colour uniform pale yellowish brown; second dorsal fin noticably smaller than anal fin
(Australia) (Fig. 24) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parmaturus sp. A
Fig. 23 Parmaturus melanobranchius
Fig. 24 Parmaturus sp. A
(after Last and Stevens, 1994)
23a. A crest of denticles present on the preventral caudal-fin
margin (Fig. 25) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . → 24
23b. No crest of denticles on the preventral caudal-fin
margin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . → 25
crest of denticles
24a. Three broad dark saddles in front of first dorsal fin,
Fig. 25 caudal peduncle
about as wide as eye diameter or wider (northeastern
Australia) (Fig. 26) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Galeus boardmani
24b. Ten to 16 narrow dark bands and saddles in front of first dorsal fin, about as wide as
eye diameter (Fig. 27) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Galeus sp. B
3 broad saddles
Fig. 26 Galeus boardmani
a)
b)
Fig. 22 caudal fin
Fig. 27 Galeus sp. B
(after Last and Stevens, 1994)
crest of denticles
no crest