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Communication specific to the redspotted catshark is unknown. However, as with most other sharks, including those in the family Scyliorhinidae, it is believed that they have a well developed sense of smell, and that they are electroreceptive. All sharks are more sensitive to electricity than many other organisms. This allows them to detect electricity emitted by other animals, and may also allow them to detect magnetic fields, which aides in navigation.
Catsharks are named for the catlike vertical oval pupil of their eyes. Their vision is good in dim light.
Communication Channels: tactile ; chemical
Perception Channels: visual ; chemical ; electric
Redspotted catsharks are not listed on the ICUN Red List, the U.S. Federal List, or the CITES list. It is not known to be a vulnerable or threatened species.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: data deficient
Redspotted catsharks are born from encapsulated eggs that are fertilized and released into the water. When they hatch, they are miniature versions of adults. It is believed that juveniles swim into deeper waters in order to avoid predation in the sublittoral zone that they return to when they are adults. Therefore, there is a spatial segregation between adult and juvenile populations. Redspotted catsharks grow rapidly, however, their maturation age is currently unknown.
Redspotted catsharks can be a detriment to commercial fisheries in Chile and Peru. They feed on crustaceans that are a large economic source in the area.
Research and Education of redspotted catsharks are the only positive economic importance for humans.
Positive Impacts: research and education
Redspotted catsharks are an important predator in their ecosystem. Their particular influence in the near shore environment is on the commercial benthic populations.
They are hosts to several parasites, including the leech, Branchellion ravenellii. These leeches are believed to pass trypanosomes (Trypanosoma scyllii) into the redspotted catsharks' bloodstream. The trypanosomes also use the redspotted catshark as their host.
Commensal/Parasitic Species:
Redspotted catsharks are predators that feed on a variety of small vertabrates and invertabrates. Their primary food source includes crabs (Allopetrolisthes punctatus, and Petrolisthes violaceus) and rock shrimp (Rhynchocinetes typus). They have also been known to eat several other species of crustaceans, as well as fishes, algal material, and various polychaetes.
Animal Foods: fish; aquatic or marine worms; aquatic crustaceans
Plant Foods: algae
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats non-insect arthropods)
Redspotted catsharks inhabit coastal waters ranging from central Peru to southern Chile in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native ); pacific ocean (Native )
Redspotted catsharks are found from the rocky sublittoral areas to the border of the continental shelf. Their distribution appears to be seasonal, in the rocky subtidal areas in spring, summer, and fall, and spending winter in deeper offshore waters. This is believed to be because of strong currents and tubulence that occurs during winter. Redspotted catsharks are typically only found in waters ranging from one to fifty meters in depth.
Range depth: 1 to 50 m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; saltwater or marine
Aquatic Biomes: coastal
The lifespan of redspotted catsharks is currently unknown.
Redspotted catsharks have sleek elongate bodies typical of their family. They have five gill slits, with the fifth gill opening over the origin of the pectoral fin. They have two dorsal fins, without spines, and the first dorsal axil is over the pelvic origin. Their tail has almost no upward bend.
Redspotted catsharks are typically dark reddish brown on the dorsal side and a creamy white on the ventral side. They have dark saddles down their sides and dark red spots on the white portion of their body.
Their teeth are typically multicuspid and males often have longer teeth with fewer cusps, which is believed to aid in 'courtship biting'.
Captured redspotted catsharks have ranged in length from 30cm to 66cm. However, it is believed that they can grow to be larger than this.
Range length: 30 to 66 cm.
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
It is believed that redspotted catshark juveniles move to deeper coastal waters until they develop into adults to avoid predation in the subtidal areas. However, the actual predators of this species are unknown.
It is believed that redspotted catsharks mate relatively seasonally. However, there have been instances where female sharks have been found with encapsulated eggs throughout the entire year. They are polygynandrous and have a courtship ritual in which the male will bite the female while he fertilizes her eggs.
Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)
Redspotted catsharks are oviparous. Breeding occurs in individuals in an annual cycle. Females have been shown to have egg capsules in the winter, spring, and summer, but very rarely in the fall. Reproduction occurs through the fertilization of the egg while it is still inside the female. The egg is then encapsulated and released. There are typically two eggs in each capsule. Embryos feed on the yolk of the egg until they hatch. When they hatch they head for deeper water until they are adults.
Breeding interval: Redspotted catsharks breed annually
Breeding season: Fertilization occurs in spring and winter, but is most common in summer
Range number of offspring: 1 to 2.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous
Fertilized eggs are released into the water and the embryos feed on the egg yolk. Once the female lays her eggs, there is no subsequent parental investment.
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female)
