Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) >
Pentanchidae (Deepwater catsharks)
Etymology: Apristurus: a-, Latin privative, i.e., without; pristis, from pristes (Gr.), sawyer (but here meaning saw); oura (Gr.), tail, referring to absence of saw-toothed crest of enlarged dermal denticles along upper edge of caudal fin as found in the closely related Pristiurus (=Galeus) (See ETYFish); micropterygeus: micro-, from mikros (Gr.), small; pterygion, diminutive of pteryx (Gr.), wing or fin, referring to first dorsal fin being 1/9 size of second dorsal fin (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range ? - 913 m (Ref. 13120). Deep-water
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Northwest Pacific: South China Sea. Presence in the Western Central Pacific is uncertain (Ref. 11146). High Seas only.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 37.2 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 13120)
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).
Meng, Q., Y. Chu and S. Li, 1986. Description of four new species of the genus Apristurus (Scyliorhinidae) from deep waters of the South China Sea. Oceanol. Limnol. Sin. 17(4):274-275. (Ref. 13120)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00355 (0.00175 - 0.00721), b=3.08 (2.90 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec assumed to be <10).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100).