New Zealand catshark | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Chondrichthyes |
Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
Subdivision: | Selachimorpha |
Order: | Carcharhiniformes |
Family: | Scyliorhinidae |
Genus: | Bythaelurus |
Species: | B. dawsoni
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Binomial name | |
Bythaelurus dawsoni (S. Springer, 1971)
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Synonyms | |
Halaelurus dawsoni Springer, 1971 |
The New Zealand catshark (Bythaelurus dawsoni) is a catshark of the family Scyliorhinidae in the order Carcharhiniformes.[2] This species is endemic to in the deep waters around New Zealand.[3][4] Its length is up to 45 centimetres (18 in).[2] The New Zealand catshark is a small, little-known deep water bottom shark. It is dark brown around the top with a few widely spaced pale spots, and white below. It feeds on bottom-living crustaceans. It is also completely harmless to humans.[2]
The New Zealand Department of Conservation has classified the New Zealand catshark as "Not Threatened" but with the qualifier "Data Poor" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[5] It is regarded as being at risk from bottom trawling.[3]