Halaelurus
Halaelurus is a genus of catsharks in the family Scyliorhinidae, commonly known as swellsharks. They are small, slender sharks with distinctive, rounded snouts, dorsally placed eyes, and prominent gill slits. Halaelurus sharks are primarily found in the deep waters of the western Pacific and Indian oceans, inhabiting continental slopes and seamounts. They are generally considered to be harmless to humans.
Common Names
Members of the genus Halaelurus are commonly called swellsharks, referring to their ability to inflate their bodies with water as a defense mechanism. Other common names include:
- Pygmy swellsharks
- Dwarf swellsharks
Characteristics
Halaelurus sharks are characterized by the following:
- Slender bodies
- Rounded snouts
- Dorsally placed eyes
- Prominent gill slits
- Two dorsal fins, the first larger than the second
- A small anal fin
- A pair of small, lateral skin folds
- Coloration: Typically brown or grayish, often with darker spots or blotches
- Size: Typically grow to a maximum length of 50 cm
Environments
Halaelurus sharks are primarily found in deep waters of the western Pacific and Indian oceans, inhabiting:
- Continental slopes
- Seamounts
They are typically found at depths between 200 and 1000 meters.
References
- Compagno, L. J. V. (2001). Sharks of the World: An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Shark Species Known to Date. Volume 2. Bull. Mar. Sci. 71(2): 133–325.
- Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (Eds.) (2023). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (12/2023).