Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) >
Pentanchidae (Deepwater catsharks)
Etymology: Holohalaelurus: holos (Gr.), whole or entire, i.e., being a form of Halaeurus without any labial folds or grooves in the mouth (See ETYFish); favus: Latin for honeycomb, referring to the color pattern of fresh specimens (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; depth range 200 - 1000 m (Ref. 75585). Subtropical
Western Indian Ocean: South Africa.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 51.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 75585); max. published weight: 301.30 g (Ref. 75585)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This relatively large species is distinguished by the following characters: denticles on dorsal midline greatly enlarged from snout to second dorsal origin; denticles on pectoral fin dorsal surface greatly enlarged in adults; no club-shaped papillae on the distal tip of the clasper; buccal papillae in mouth large and prominent on upper and lower surfaces; moderate vertebral count, 124 total vertebrae in the holotype (123 total in paratype, mean 117.8); relatively high tooth counts, 65 total upper teeth in the holotype (66 in the paratype, mean 66.3), 70 total lower teeth in the holotype (58 in paratype, mean 60.3); covered in irregularly shaped spots and reticulations on a brown background, resembling a honeycomb pattern; white spots rarely present, if present, are inconspicuous (Ref. 75585).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Human, B.A., 2006. A taxonomic revision of the catshark genus Holohalaelurus Fowler 1934 (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae), with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1315:1-56. (Ref. 75585)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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