Apristurus platyrhynchus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	CHONDRICHTHYES	CARCHARHINIFORMES	SCYLIORHINIDAE

Scientific Name:

Apristurus platyrhynchus

Species Authority

(Tanaka, 1909)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Borneo Catshark, Flatnose Catshark, Spatula Catshark, Spatulasnout Catshark
French	–	Holbiche Malaise, Holbiche Spatula
Spanish	–	Pejegato De Borneo, Pejegato Espatulado

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Data Deficient ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2004
Assessor/s	Duffy, C. & Huveneers, C.
Evaluator/s:	Kyne, P.M., Cavanagh, R.D. & Fowler, S.L. (Shark Red List Authority)
Justification: Apristurus platyrhynchus is a poorly known, Indo-West Pacific continental slope deepwater catshark. Maximum size is estimated to be about 85 cm total length (TL). Probably taken as bycatch in deepwater trawl, set net and line fisheries throughout its range. However, at present there is insufficient information available to assess the species beyond Data Deficient.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The species occurs in the Indo-West Pacific from Malaysia and Borneo north to Suruga Bay, Japan.
Countries:	Native: Brunei Darussalam; China; Indonesia (Kalimantan); Japan; Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak); Philippines
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Pacific – northwest; Pacific – western central

Population [top]

Population Trend:	Unknown

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	A. platyrhynchus is a poorly known, continental slope species. Maximum size was estimated by Nakaya and Sato (2000) to be about 85 cm TL. Both sexes mature around 60 cm TL. Reproduction is oviparous with one egg per oviduct laid at a time. Egg cases are long, slender and cylindrical (9.4 cm long x 2.2 cm wide). The surface of the egg case is smooth, the anterior end lacks processes and is composed of weak fibrous tissue. The posterior end comes to a single point and lacks tendrils (Nakaya and Sato 2000). The construction of the egg cases and absence of tendrils suggests the eggs may be retained in the female and develop in-utero. This appears to be unique among the Apristurus species, however, the egg cases and development of many have yet to be described. Apristurus species are relatively small, sluggish sharks that live on or near the bottom. Diet includes crustaceans (penaeid shrimps, euphausiids), squids and small fishes.
Systems:	Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

A. platyrhynchus is a poorly known, continental slope species. Maximum size was estimated by Nakaya and Sato (2000) to be about 85 cm TL. Both sexes mature around 60 cm TL. Reproduction is oviparous with one egg per oviduct laid at a time. Egg cases are long, slender and cylindrical (9.4 cm long x 2.2 cm wide). The surface of the egg case is smooth, the anterior end lacks processes and is composed of weak fibrous tissue. The posterior end comes to a single point and lacks tendrils (Nakaya and Sato 2000). The construction of the egg cases and absence of tendrils suggests the eggs may be retained in the female and develop in-utero. This appears to be unique among the Apristurus species, however, the egg cases and development of many have yet to be described.

Apristurus species are relatively small, sluggish sharks that live on or near the bottom. Diet includes crustaceans (penaeid shrimps, euphausiids), squids and small fishes.

Systems:

Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Probably taken as bycatch in deepwater trawl, set net and line fisheries throughout its range. Other species of deepwater Chondrichthyans are known to be captured as bycatch in deepwater fisheries. As these fisheries expand globally, consideration needs to be given to the fact that this species too may be captured incidentally in deepwater fisheries.

Major Threat(s):

Probably taken as bycatch in deepwater trawl, set net and line fisheries throughout its range. Other species of deepwater Chondrichthyans are known to be captured as bycatch in deepwater fisheries. As these fisheries expand globally, consideration needs to be given to the fact that this species too may be captured incidentally in deepwater fisheries.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	No conservation actions are currently in place for this species.

Conservation Actions:

No conservation actions are currently in place for this species.

Citation:	Duffy, C. & Huveneers, C. 2004. Apristurus platyrhynchus. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 November 2008.
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