Name: Leopard catshark
Scientific Name: Poroderma pantherinum (Müller & Henle, 1838)
Family: Scyliorhinidae
Group: Sharks, rays and chimaeras
Class: Fish
Size: 51-100 cm.
As a juvenile, the leopard catshark is very similar to the striped catshark, both displaying the same striped pattern. However, as the leopard catshark grows, its stripes take on the shape of spots or broken rings. The larger of the species can completely lose the original striped pattern. This harmless shark is nocturnal and spends a great part of the time immobile, next to the sea floor. It lives in rocky reefs, from the intertidal zone up to depths of more than 250 m.
Photo by:
Eleanor Yeld (www.wwfsassi.co.za)
Oceanário Location
Antarctic
