Apristurus brunneus

Distinguishing Characteristics:

  • Small, slender shark
  • Long snout with a band of four rows of pores along sides
  • Two dorsal fins located far back on the body
  • A long anal fin that reaches to the base of the caudal fin
  • Color brown all over with fins edged in black

Habitat: Bottom dweller found in the outer continental shelf and upper shelf in water of 43°F to 48°F

Size: Up to 2.25 feet

Note: There are at least 106 species of cat sharks in the world, making them the largest family of sharks


This rare NOAA footage posted on Twitter shows a cat shark embryo wiggling inside its egg case, attached to coral off Puerto Rico. (Source: NOAA)