Akheilos suwartanai White, Fahmi & Weigmann, 2019
Ambon catshark

Family:  Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks), subfamily: Schroederichthyinae
Max. size:  53.7 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic; marine
Distribution:  Western Pacific: Indonesia.
Diagnosis:  This moderately small scyliorhinid catshark is distinguished by the following set of characters: a moderately long precaudal tail region (tail much longer than trunk); dorsal fins are of similar size and shape; snout short and narrowly parabolic; eyes are large and narrowly oval (length 5.0 times in head length), broad suborbital grooves; nostrils are oblique with triangular anterior nasal flaps not reaching to mouth and distinct but low posterior nasal flaps; mouth is broadly rounded, its width 1.2 times preoral length; upper and lower labial furrows are well developed, uppers not reaching midpoint between mouth corner and posterior margin of nostril; jaws with ~60 upper and ~53 lower tooth rows, teeth are mostly multicuspid, posterolaterals not strongly differentiated from anterolaterals; caudal fin ventral lobe is low but distinct; claspers long and slender, glans elongate, long and low envelope present, cover rhipidion small without an anterior fold or tab, pseudosiphon small and slit-like; with supraorbital crests on cranium; precaudal vertebral centra 96, total centra ~137. Colouration: pale brown with numerous rusty brown spots, small brown spots forming two indistinct saddles on dorsal surface of predorsal body, broken ocellus-like marking on side behind pectoral fins and under each dorsal fin (Ref. 120897).
Biology:  Depth of occurrence unknown. Stomach contained several anterior sections of a small snake eel (Ophichthidae) (Ref. 120897).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 21 November 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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