Cirrhoscyllium

Cirrhoscyllium japonicum

Cirrhoscyllium is a genus within the rights of the family of sharks and carpet sharks collar. It includes three species that occur in very limited areas of distribution to Japan, Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Features

In all species of the genus are small and very slender, elongated species. They reach a body length of less than 50 centimeters, the Bartel - Teppichhai with a maximum of 33.5 inches is the smallest known type and saddle - Teppichhai with a maximum of 44 inches the largest species. The body bottom is flattened in more typical of demersal shark species manner. The two dorsal fins are very far behind, the first dorsal fin arises in all types behind the pelvic fins and the second well behind the approach of the anal fin.

Compared to the closely related species of the genus Parascyllium possible to differentiate Cirrhoscyllium species by the possession of barbels at the throat. In addition, the species of the genus Parascyllium are generally characterized by a distinct pattern with numerous spots and dots while at Cirrhoscyllium species occur only saddles.

Dissemination

The three species of the genus Cirrhoscyllium have a very narrowly defined area of ​​distribution in Southeast Asia, respectively. Thus, the Bartel - Teppichhai comes in the South China Sea off in the coasts of China, Vietnam and the Philippines. The Taiwanese Teppichhai is exclusively in the coastal area of Taiwan and the saddle - Teppichhai lives on the southern and eastern Pacific coasts of the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Shikoku.

They live on the Pacific continental shelf at depths below 100 meters up to 290 m at the saddle - Teppichhai.

Way of life

Over the life of the three species are very little information. They are probably all kinds oviparous ( oviparous ) and they probably feed on small fish and invertebrates.

System

The genus Cirrhoscyllium consists of three types and forms, together with the genus Parascyllium the family of the collar carpet sharks ( Parascyllidae ) within the Ammenhaiartigen ( Orectolobiformes ).

The three species are to be

• The Bartel - Teppichhai (C. expolitum )
• The Taiwanese Teppichhai (C. formosanum )
• The saddle - Teppichhai (C. japonicum)

Endangering

A classification in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN) is not present in all species. They are rare and are only occasionally caught as bycatch, The Taiwanese Teppichhai has so far been described only by 12 individuals who were caught on bottom longlines.