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Cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame) — Scyliorhinidae

Cloudy catshark

Scyliorhinus torazame

The Cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame) is a saltwater fish of the family Scyliorhinidae that grows up to 78 cm.

Length
77.8 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–300.0 m
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Japan, Ryukyu Is., Korea (North), Korea (South)

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Description

The Cloudy catshark is a small catshark (Scyliorhinidae) from coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 50 cm and has a slender, brown body with cloudy dark saddle marks and cat-like eyes. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it rests by day among rocks and on sand bottoms and hunts small fish, crustaceans and molluscs by night. It lays eggs in horny capsules. This small shark is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Cloudy catshark?

The Cloudy catshark has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Cloudy catshark live?

The Cloudy catshark lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Japan, Ryukyu Is., Korea (North), Korea (South)

How big does the Cloudy catshark get?

The Cloudy catshark grows to a maximum of about 78 cm.

Is the Cloudy catshark dangerous to humans?

No, the Cloudy catshark is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame) — Scyliorhinidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Future, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame) — Scyliorhinidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Future, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame) — Scyliorhinidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Gerben ter Haar, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Cloudy catshark sourced
Scientific name
Scyliorhinus torazame
Family
Scyliorhinidae
Other names
Cloudy catshark; Izu cat shark; Cloudy cat shark verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
77.8 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
300.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Japan, Ryukyu Is., Korea (North), Korea (South) sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Scyliorhinus

More from the family Scyliorhinidae

Fin

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