| Iceland catshark | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Division: | Selachii |
| Order: | Carcharhiniformes |
| Family: | Pentanchidae |
| Genus: | Apristurus |
| Species: | A. laurussonii |
| Binomial name | |
| Apristurus laurussonii (Sæmundsson, 1922) | |
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| Range of the Iceland catshark | |
| Synonyms | |
Apristurus maderensisCadenat & Maul, 1966 | |
TheIceland orIcelandic catshark (Apristurus laurussonii) is aspecies ofshark, belonging to thefamilyPentanchidae, the deepwater catsharks. This catshark is found in the westernAtlantic, fromMassachusetts,Delaware, and the northernGulf of Mexico, as well as the eastern Atlantic fromIceland, southwesternIreland, theCanary Islands,Madeira,South Africa, and between 67 and11°N. They are found in depths of 550 to 1450 meters near or at the bottom over upper continental slopes.
The catshark was named in honor of Sæmundsson’s friend Gísli Lárusson (1865–1935), a goldsmith, a watchmaker, farmer and nature enthusiast, for his support of the study ofIcelandic fishes.[2]
It has a relatively slender body, tapering slightly toward the head. It has a broad and somewhat long, bell-shaped snout. It has short gill slits, and adults have small eyes. The first and second dorsal fins are almost the same size. It is dark brown with no prominent markings. It reaches a maximum size of around 67 cm. The average size ranges from 50 cm to 60 cm. Its diet consists ofsquid, bony fish, marine worms (such as thelugworm orclam worm), andcrustaceans, includinglobster,shrimp, andcrabs.
