Halaelurus natalensis
– Data Deficient
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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CHONDRICHTHYES
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Order:
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CARCHARHINIFORMES
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Family:
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SCYLIORHINIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Halaelurus natalensis
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Species Authority:
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(Regan, 1904)
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Common Name/s:
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| English | — | TIGER CATSHARK |
| French | — | HOLBICHE TIGRÉE |
| Spanish | — | PEJEGATO ATIGRADO |
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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DD ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2004
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Assessor/s:
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Robinson, L.
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Evaluator/s:
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Human, B., Cavanagh, R.D., Kyne, P.M. & Fowler, S.L. (Shark Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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This catshark is endemic to the southern African continental shelf off South Africa and Mozambique. Its distribution is not well known, although the range appears fairly restricted. Although it is not a targeted species, it is caught by bottom trawlers as discarded bycatch and also taken by sports anglers with rod and reel. Insufficient information available to assess this species beyond Data Deficient and monitoring of abundance and changes in fishing pressure is required.
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Previous to Springer and D'Aubrey's (1972) review both H. natalensis and H. lineatus were placed under the name H. natalensis. Subsequently there are few reliable geographical and bathymetrical records for H. natalensis in the older literature. More recent survey work has clarified the range and depth distribution of the species, particularly in the northeasternmost part of the Eastern Cape Province and off KwaZulu-Natal where H. natalensis and H. lineatus are sympatric.
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Countries:
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Native:
Mozambique; South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal)
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FAO Marine Fishing Areas:
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Native:
Atlantic-southeast; Indian Ocean-western
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Population
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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Occurs on or near the bottom of the continental shelf from close inshore to 172 m. Offshore specimens are mostly adults. Most offshore records from off the Eastern and Western Cape are from 30 to 90 m with some to 114 m.
Little known of its biology. It is oviparous with 6 to 11 (more usually 6 to 9) eggcases per oviduct at any one time. Eggs are retained until embryos are at a well-developed stage.
Feeds primarily on small bony fishes and crustaceans, but also cephalopods and small elasmobranchs.
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System:
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Marine
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List of Habitats:
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| 10.1 | Marine Oceanic - Epipelagic (0-200m) |
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Threats
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Threats:
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This species is not targeted, but taken as bycatch by inshore demersal trawlers and discarded. Also taken by sports anglers with rod and reel and infrequently by squid fishers.
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List of Threats:
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| 4.1.1.1 | Accidental mortality - Bycatch - Fisheries-related - Hooking (ongoing) |
| 4.1.1.2 | Accidental mortality - Bycatch - Fisheries-related - Netting (ongoing) |
| 9.9 | Intrinsic factors - Restricted range (ongoing) |
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Release of live bycatch should be encouraged.
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List of Conservation Actions:
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| 1.1.1 | Policy-based actions - Management plans - Development (in place) |
| 1.1.2 | Policy-based actions - Management plans - Implementation (needed) |
| 1.2.1.2 | Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - National level (needed) |
| 1.2.1.3 | Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - Sub-national level (needed) |
| 1.2.2.2 | Policy-based actions - Legislation - Implementation - National level (needed) |
| 1.2.2.3 | Policy-based actions - Legislation - Implementation - Sub-national level (needed) |
| 3.1 | Research actions - Taxonomy (in place) |
| 3.2 | Research actions - Population numbers and range (needed) |
| 3.3 | Research actions - Biology and Ecology (needed) |
| 3.4 | Research actions - Habitat status (needed) |
| 3.5 | Research actions - Threats (needed) |
| 3.6 | Research actions - Uses and harvest levels (needed) |
| 3.8 | Research actions - Conservation measures (needed) |
| 3.9 | Research actions - Trends/Monitoring (needed) |
| 4.1 | Habitat and site-based actions - Maintenance/Conservation (needed) |
| 4.4.1 | Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Identification of new protected areas (needed) |
| 4.4.2 | Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Establishment (needed) |
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Bibliography
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Bibliography:
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Bass, A.J., D’Aubery, J.D. and Kistnasamy, N. 1975. Sharks of the east coast of southern Africa. II. The families Scyliorhinidae and Pseudotriakidae. South African Association for Marine Biological Research, Oceanographic Research Institute Investigational Report No. 37. Compagno, L.J.V. In prep. b. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the shark species known to date. Volume 3. (Carcharhiniformes). FAO Species Catalogue for Fisheries Purposes No. 1, Vol.3. FAO, Rome. Shark Specialist Group. For more information, see the Specialist Group website.
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