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Graceful catshark (Proscyllium habereri) — Proscylliidae

Graceful catshark

Proscyllium habereri
Family: Proscylliidae

The Graceful catshark (Proscyllium habereri) is a saltwater fish of the family Proscylliidae that grows up to 57 cm.

Length
57 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
50.0–100.0 m
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is. and others
Edibility
Rarely eaten

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Description

The graceful catshark is a small catshark (Proscylliidae) from coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 57 cm and has a very slender, yellow-brown body scattered with dark spots, and large oval eyes. As a bottom-dweller it lives on sand and mud bottoms of the continental shelf and hunts small fish, crustaceans and molluscs. It lays eggs in horny capsules. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Graceful catshark?

The Graceful catshark has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Graceful catshark live?

The Graceful catshark lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is. and others

How big does the Graceful catshark get?

The Graceful catshark grows to a maximum of about 57 cm.

Is the Graceful catshark dangerous to humans?

No, the Graceful 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.

Is the Graceful catshark edible?

The Graceful catshark is rarely eaten.

More photos

Graceful catshark (Proscyllium habereri) — Proscylliidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Eric.L.Chen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Graceful catshark (Proscyllium habereri) — Proscylliidae — 3
iNaturalist (no rights reserved)
Graceful catshark (Proscyllium habereri) — Proscylliidae — 4
Murphy, Katherine, Reft, Abigail, Weigt, Lee (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Graceful catshark sourced
Scientific name
Proscyllium habereri
Family
Proscylliidae
Other names
Graceful catshark; Graceful cat shark verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
50.0 verified
Max depth (m)
100.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is. and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten inferred
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

More from the family Proscylliidae

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