Overview
Family : Angel sharks ; Occurs on the outer continental shelf and the upper slope . Found from shoreline to depths of 1,375 m [1]. Feeds on small bottom fishes , crustaceans and bivalves . Ovoviviparous. Will bite when captured and can inflict nasty lacerations with its trap-like jaws and pointed teeth.
Interesting Facts
Common Names
Click on the language to view common names.
Common Names in Danish:
Sanddj, Sanddjævel
Common Names in Dutch:
Zandduivel
Common Names in English:
Angel shark, Atlantic angel shark, Atlantic angelshark, monkfish, sand devil
Common Names in Finnish:
Atlantinmerienkeli
Common Names in French:
Ange De L´atlantique, Ange de l'Atlantique, Ange de mer de sable
Common Names in Mandarin Chinese:
杜氏扁鯊, 杜氏扁鲨
Common Names in Polish:
Ryna
Common Names in Spanish:
Angelote Del Atl, angelote del Atlántico, angelote del Atlántico, Tibur, Tiburón, Tiburón ángel
Common Names in Swedish:
Karibisk Havs, Karibisk havsängel
Description
Physical Description
Species Squatina dumeril
Distinctive Features: Distinctive features of this shark
include
its flattened, skate-like body consisting of dorsally
located eyes
and a terminal mouth
. The Atlantic angel
shark also possesses large
spiracles behind
the eyes and expanded pectoral fins, both of which
distinguish this shark from other species. This shark also has small
dorsal fins of equal size located near the tail.
Dentition: This angel shark has three rows
of twenty teeth on the
top and eighteen on the bottom
. The teeth are conical
in shape
with
broad bases
and smooth
edges
.
Denticles
: The dermal denticles
on the dorsal side are spaced evenly
in corresponding rows along the surface. They have broad bases, are
conical in shape, and slightly recurved. Around the eyes are larger
denticles formed in clusters
of 5 or 6.
Color:
The Atlantic angel shark ranges from a bluish-gray to an ashy-gray in color with a white underside. The head and portions of the fins have a reddish hue. There is a red spot located on both the throat and abdomen. These spots are arranged in an irregular fashion and may also be present over the entire dorsal side. This varied and seemingly sporadic coloring helps to camouflage this species when it is buried within the sea floor.
Size/Age/Growth
The adult Atlantic angel shark is relatively small, typically ranging from 3 to 4 feet (91-122 cm) in length , although occasionally reaching 6 feet (about 183 cm). Maturity is attained at 35-41in or (90-105 cm).
Habitat
S. dumeril is considered a bottom dweller. It can generally be located buried in sand or mud at the ocean floor. In the northern areas of its distribution, this shark dwells in swallow water while found in deeper water (420 feet/ 128 meters) in its southern range .
Typically found in water with a depth of 0 to -2,278 meters (0 to -7,474 feet).[2]
Biome: Marine .
Ecology:
Little is known about this species. It is found seasonally in shallower
water. Off the eastern United
States it appears to move inshore
in
the spring
and summer, and disappears, apparently into deeper water
in other seasons
.
Maturity is probably reached around
90 to 107 cm TL
. Reproductive mode
is aplacental
viviparous with
only the left ovary functional. Pupping occurs in June or July with
pups
measuring 28 to 30 cm TL at birth. Litters
contain up to 25
pups. Birth usually occurs at depth (~20 to 30 m
).
Eats
small bottom
fishes
(flounders
, skates
and other bottom fishes),
crustaceans and bivalves
.
Life history
parameters
Age at maturity (years): Unknown.
Size
at maturity (total length): Female: 90 to 105 cm TL, median
length
83.5 cm FL
(Baremore and Carlson 2004); Male: 92 to 107 cm
TL, median length
88.7 cm FL (Baremore and Carlson 2004).
Longevity
(years): Unknown.
Maximum size (total length):
152 cm TL.
Size at birth: 28 to 30 cm TL.
Average reproductive age (years): Unknown.
Gestation
time (months): Unknown.
Reproductive
periodicity: Unknown.
Average annual
fecundity
or litter size
: Up to 25/litter (Compagno in prep. a); 8
(+/- 1.82) pups (Baremore and Carlson 2004).
Annual
rate of population increase: Unknown.
Natural
mortality
: Unknown.[3].
List of Habitats
:
- 9 Marine Neritic
- 9.1 Marine Neritic - Pelagic
- 10 Marine Oceanic
- 10.1 Marine Oceanic - Epipelagic (0-200m) [more info]
Biology
Diet
Feeds on a variety of bottom dwelling organisms . Mollusks and crustaceans occupy a large part of the shark's diet , as do bottom dwelling fishes such as flounders , skates , and stingrays.
Reproduction
The Atlantic angel shark is an ovoviviparous species with eggs that develop in enclosed capsules and hatch in the uteri. A litter usually consists of 16 pups , however litter sizes as large as 25 have been reported. Birthing usually occurs in the spring and summer months in depths of 60-90 feet (18-27 meters).
Behavior
Predators:
Larger species of fish and marine mammals are potential predators of the Atlantic angel shark .
Taxonomy
- Kingdom:
Animalia
(
)
- animals
- Phylum:
Chordata
()
- Chordates
- Order:
Squatiniformes
()
- Family:
s on the outer continental shelf and the
upper
()
- Genus:
Squatina
()
- Dumeril, 1806
- Specific name:
dumeril
- Lesueur, 1818
- Scientific name: - the United states, Canada, and Mexico Sixth Edition. Special Publication 29.
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Service
- Specific name:
dumeril
- Lesueur, 1818
- Genus:
Squatina
(
- Family:
s on the outer continental shelf and the
upper
(
- Order:
Squatiniformes
(
- Phylum:
Chordata
(
Synonyms
Squatina Dum éril
Notes
Name
Status: Accepted Name
.
Last scrutiny: Data
last modified by FishBase 27-Oct-2000
Similar Species
Members of the genus Squatina
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 20 species and subspecies in this genus:
S. aculeata (Monkfish) · S. africana (African Angel Shark) · S. albipunctata (Eastern Angel Shark) · S. argentina (Argentine Angel Shark) · S. armata (South Pacific Angel Shark) · S. australis (Australian Angel Shark) · S. californica (Pacific Angel Shark) · S. dumeril (Atlantic Angel Shark) · S. formosa (Taiwan Angel Shark) · S. guggenheim (Angular Angel Shark) · S. japonca (Yellowmouth Rockfish) · S. japonica (Japanese Angel Shark) · S. nebulosa (Japanese Angel Shark) · S. occulta (Smoothback Angel Shark) · S. oculata (Monkfish) · S. pseudocellata (Western Angel Shark) · S. punctata (Angular Angelshark) · S. squatina (Angel Fiddle Fish) · S. tergocellata (Large-Spotted Angel Shark) · S. tergocellatoides (Ocellated Angel Shark)
More Info
- Search for Pictures: images.google.com
- Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
- Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
- Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books
Further Reading
- A guide book to the marine fishes of Rhode Island. Photos by the author. Watch Hill, R. I., Book and Tackle Shop[1960] url p. 15.
- Copeia. [New York, N.Y., etc.]: American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. url p. 36.
- Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Editorial board: editor-in-chief John Tee-Van [and others] New Haven, Sears Foundation for Marine Research, Yale Univ., 1948- url , p. 539.
- Guide to marine fishes; [a new method for identification of marine fishes. New York]New York University Press[1961] url p. 252, p. 430.
- Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy, at Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass. Cambridge [Mass.]: The Museum, 1876-1940. url p. 252.
- Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Washington, Biological Society of Washington url p. 145, p. 192.
- Report of the United States Commissioner of Fisheries for the fiscal year. .. with appendixes Washington: G.P.O., 1914- url p. 22.
- Shadows in the sea: the sharks, skates and rays [by] Harold W. McCormick and Tom Allen, with William E. Young. Philadelphia, Chilton Books[1963] url p. 286, p. 412.
- Special scientific report. Seattle, National Marine Fisheries Service; for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1949-1971. url p. 3.
- The Bulletin of zoological nomenclature. London, International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature. url p. 98.
Notes
Contributors
- American Fisheries Society. Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United states, Canada, and Mexico Sixth Edition. Special Publication 29.
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 15, 2012.
- Compagno, Leonard J.V. (from FishBase).
- FishBase. Release date: January 5, 2010
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed March 02, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 6 providers.
- Hansen, Chris. Florida Museum of Natural History
- Heupel, M.R. & Carlson, J.K. 2006. Squatina dumeril. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloadedon 04February2012.
- IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. . Downloaded on January 28, 2012.
- Ruggiero M., Gordon D., Bailly N., Kirk P., Nicolson D. (2011). The Catalogue of Life Taxonomic Classification, Edition 2, Part A. In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist (Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D., eds). DVD; Species 2000: Reading, UK.
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 02, 2008:
- FishBase: FishBase DiGIR Provider - Philippine Server
- Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: ECNASAP - East Coast North America Strategic Assessment (OBIS Canada)
- Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: iziko South African Museum - Shark Collection
- Museum national d'histoire naturelle: Ichtyologie
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University: MCZ Fish Collection
- UNIBIO, IBUNAM: CNPE/Coleccion Nacional de Peces
- University of Kansas Biodiversity Research Center: Fish Collection
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 138983
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Fis-29542
- Fishbase Species ID: 731
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 14691927
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 160787
- IUCN ID: 243506
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 125431
Footnotes
- Smith, C.L. (1997). National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p. [back]
- Mean = -123.080 meters (-403.806 feet), Standard Deviation = 614.240 based on 173 observations. Ocean depth information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
- Heupel, M.R. & Carlson, J.K. 2006. Squatina dumeril. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 04 February 2012. [back]
