Japanese roughshark
The Japanese scorpionfish ( Oxynotus japonicus ) is a species of pig sharks ( Oxynotidae ) within the Dornhaiartigen ( Squaliformes ).
Features
The Japanese Meersau is only known from a few specimens. The maximum length of seven individuals described was 64.5 centimeters. They, like all species of the family, so that there are a very high-backed body with triangular cross-section between the chest and abdominal fins lateral keels. The coloring of the sharks is uniformly dark brown and without screening. The lips, the edges of the slats, the fins approaches and the inner edges of Klaspern are white.
The muzzle is short and blunt. The two dorsal fins are very high and sail -like triangular top and a concave back; the spine before the first dorsal fin facing forward. An anal fin is missing. Before the gills there is a small and upright - oval spray hole with a length of less than half the eye diameter.
Distribution and habitat
The Japanese Meersau is detected only in the Suruga Bay of the Japanese island of Honshu in the western Pacific.
The shark lives over the area of the continental shelf at a depth of about 150 to 350 meters.
Way of life
Over the life of this kind has no information. Probably feeds on the shark of benthic invertebrates and small fish. The hochrückige form represents represents an adaptation to the ground-level lifestyle of sharks
He's probably like other species of the genus are viviparous ( ovoviviparous ), but does not form a yolk sac placenta.
Threats and conservation
The Japanese Meersau is fished not targeted commercially, but like other sharks can be caught as bycatch in trawl fisheries. Concrete catch data are not available for this type, a total of only seven individual animals were previously described. Based on the data present just a few of the shark is classified as " data deficient " in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, however, a risk rating for the future is assumed due to the very limited distribution area and the existing fishing pressure.