Given Names / Appearance / Size / Distribution / Biology / Feeding / Similar Species / Endangerment / Danger to Humans

Given Names

French : Ange de mer commun German : N/A Spanish : Angelote; Àngel; Escat comu; Escat jueu Italian : Squadro; Angeo; Squalena; Arène de Squadre Other Scientific Names : N/C

Diagnosis

A greatly flattened, raylike shark with no ocelli (eye-spots) on body; trunk broad; eye smaller than spiracle Nasal flap only slightly fringed, with simple barbels. Dorsal spines present in small numbers or largely absent, arranged along dorsal midline towards dorsal fins; some spines above eyes and above snout; almost entire ventral surfaces covered with denticles. Rear tips of pelvic fins extend to the level of the first dorsal fin origin.  Mean tooth count 20/20. Colour olive-brown or greenish-brown dorsally, with some darker speckles and blotches but not as obvious ocelli; paler ventrally.

Size

To about 240cm TL but commonly to 170cm; size at birth 20 to 30cm.

Distribution

Océan Atlantique : Moroco and Britanic coasts. Mer Méditerranée : Relatively common but probably declining. Entire Mediterranean coastal regions and islands,  and Black Sea. Océan Indien : N/C. Océan Pacifique : N/C.

Biology

Like the other angelshark species, S. squatina  is typically a rather sedentary bottom-dweller on sand or mud substrates in coastal and insular waters at shallow or moderate depths between 5 and 100m. The angelshark will bury itself prostrate within the substrate with only eyes protruding, where it remains cryptic whilst awaiting unsuspecting prey to pass within range of its powerful and highly protrusable jaws. Nevertheless, this species is also an active, proficient swimmer and particularly mobile nocturnally, when it can be found swimming some distance off the seafloor. Ovoviviparous, with litters of 7 to 25 young although corresponding with the size of the female; gestation period 10 months and parturition from December to February in Mediterranean waters. Females mature at 126 to 167cm TL.

Feeding

Angelsharks prey upon a wide variety of demersal bony fishes including flatfish and rays; also molluscs and crustaceans.

Similar Species

N/C.

Endangerment

Unknown.

Danger to humans

Harmless.