The genus Halaelurus , proposed by Gill (1862) for Scyllium buergeri Müller & Henle, 1838 , consists of 5 described species: H. boesemani Springer & D’Aubrey, 1972 , H. buergeri Müller & Henle, 1838 , H. lineatus Bass, D'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1975 , H. natalensis (Regan, 1904) and H. quagga (Alcock, 1899) (Compagno, 1988; Compagno et al., 2005). The closely related genus Bythaelurus Compagno, 1988 , previously a subgenus of Halaelurus , comprises 7 described species: B. alcocki (Garman, 1913) , B. canescens ( Günther , 1878) , B. clevai ( Séret , 1987) , B. dawsoni (Springer, 1971) , B. hispidus (Alcock, 1891) , B. immaculatus (Chu & Meng in Chu et al., 1982) and B. lutarius (Springer & D’Aubrey, 1972) . Members of the genus Bythaelurus differ from species of Halaelurus in having eyes not noticeably elevated on head vs. noticeably elevated on dorsal surface of head; gill slits not elevated above lateral head margin vs. elevated above lateral head margin; body soft with thin skin vs. body firm with thick skin; precaudal tail about 0.8-0.9 of precloacal length vs. 0.5-0.6 of precloacal length (Compagno, 1988). Representatives of the genus Bythaelurus are typically uniformly dark in coloration and have a scattered distribution in upper to lower slope regions of the Eastern Pacific and Indian Ocean, with a single species occurring in the Western Pacific. Members of the genus Halaelurus have an attractive colour pattern and occur essentially in the Indo-West Pacific, from South Africa to Japan and Australia, in insular and continental shelf regions (Compagno, 1988; Compagno et al., 2005).
Recent market surveys in eastern Indonesia produced a large collection of scyliorhinid catsharks, along with many other chondrichthyans. Included in this material were 28 individuals of a catshark that was originally identified tentatively as Halaelurus buergeri . Comparison of these Indonesian Halaelurus with material from northwestern Australia revealed two new species that differ significantly from other currently recognised members of the genus. This paper provides descriptions of these new species.
Key to the species of Halaelurus
1 Snout obtusely pointed, its tip knob-like and turned upward......................................................................2
Snout not pointed, its tip rounded and not turned upward...........................................................................3
2 About 26 narrow dark bars across back and sides; mouth relatively small, its width about 7% or less of total length, its length 2.1 to 2.6% TL ............................................... Halaelurus lineatus (southern Africa)
About 10 darker saddle blotches across back and sides; mouth relatively large, its width 7.3 to 8.1% TL, its length 2.8 to 3.5% TL ............................................................... Halaelurus natalensis (southern Africa)
3 Colour pattern consisting of>20 transverse dark bars with no dark spots; adult clasper with a distinct knob extending over the hypopyle................................................................ Halaelurus quagga (Somalia, India)
Colour pattern consisting small to large dark spots and weakly defined saddle markings; adult clasper without a knob over the hypopyle.......................................................... 4
4 Dorsal and lateral surfaces of body with moderately large to large dark spots (typically larger than spiracle), not particularly numerous and confined to borders of saddle markings............................................5
Dorsal and lateral surfaces of body peppered with small dark spots (typically smaller than spiracle), numerous and not confined to saddle markings ........................................................................................ 6
5 First dorsal fin relatively tall (its height 4.9-5.1% TL); dark spots on body well-defined and clearly distinct .......................................................................................... Halaelurus buergeri (Taiwan, Japan, China)
First dorsal fin only moderately tall (its height 3.8-4.3% TL); dark spots on body poorly-defined and sometimes indistinct........................................................ Halaelurus sellusn. sp. (northwestern Australia)
6 Mouth relatively long (length 2.8-3.6% TL, 2.0-2.8 times in mouth width); labial furrows short and weak (lower labial furrow length more than 11 times in eye length, 0.4-0.9% TL), degree of development variable(often only visible on one mouth corner); 127-136 (usually 130-132) total vertebrae........................ .................................................................................. Halaelurus maculosusn. sp. (Indonesia, Philippines)
Mouth relatively short (length 2.2% TL, 3.7 times in mouth width); labial furrows elongate (lower labial furrow length about half of eye length, 1.6% TL); 135-139 (usually 136-138) total vertebrae................... .......................................................................................... Halaelurus boesemani (Somalia, Gulf of Aden)
Halaelurus is a genus of catsharks in the family Scyliorhinidae.
Halaelurus is a genus of catsharks in the family Scyliorhinidae.
