Freckled Catshark

This species is distinguished by the following characters: triangular or squared tipped first dorsal fin (vs. never squared tipped in S. ugoi, S. cabofriensis); neurocranium with a narrow basal plate (vs. broad in S. cabofriensis); color pattern with saddles not delineated by light or dark spots (vs. delineated by light or dark spots in S. boa); saddles darker than background color and lacking sharp median projections (vs. saddles indistinct S. cabofriensis, S. boa, with sharp median projections in S. ugoi); spots large and small, sometimes sickle-shaped or lunate and with clear centers on the back and sides, arranged in approximate bilateral symmetry, and sometimes present in intersaddle regions (vs. spots spiracle-sized, randomly distributed, not sickle-shaped or lunate in S. cabofriensis); rounded and short snout, preoral length 4.5% TL (vs. 5% TL in S. ugoi, S. cabofriensis); short and depressed head, length 17.5-19.2% TL (vs. 19.7-20.8% in S. cabofriensis; 19.5-20.3% in S. ugoi); interdorsal space 1.2-2 times dorsal-caudal space (vs. 2 times in S. cabofriensis; 2.1-2.5 in S. ugoi); claspers with ventral terminal cartilage 2 slender and positioned above ventral terminal cartilage, length 1.8 times in ventral terminal cartilage (vs. 1.5 times in S. cabofriensis); ventral terminal cartilage without a prominent groove posteriorly or with shallow and poorly developed groove (vs. groove well developed in S. cabofriensis); small-sized, adult males at about 35.3 cm TL, adult females at about 41.5 cm TL (vs. 44.5 cm and 50.0 cm TL, respectively, in S. ugoi) (Ref. 107325).

Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).

This species is reported to be associated with coral or calcareous algal formations where it possibly lays it egg-capsules. Stomach contents include squid beaks and skeletal elements of bony fishes. Reported males with well-developed claspers at about 35.3 cm TL; females as adults from 41.5 cm TL. Egg-capsules observed to have light amber to yellowish colour, without longitudinal grooves and measure about 6.0 cm in length, 2.5 cm in width (Ref. 107325). Found on the continental shelf and upper slope. Oviparous. Not utilized at present (Ref. 244).

fisheries: of no interest