Flat, ray-like appearance. Heavily fringed nasal barbels. Mouth terminally positioned. Eyes "on top" of head with spiracles behind the eyes. Pectoral fins not attached to head. Both dorsal fins posteriorly positioned on peduncle. Origin of first dorsal fin above the free rear ends of pelvic fins. One row of dorsal spines well developed on back. Lower lobe of caudal fin longer than upper one. No anal fin.
Coloration
Uniformly colored, no ocelli present.
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: Western Mediterranean, Morroco, Senegal, Guinea to Nigeria, Gabon to Angola.
Biology
Lives on or close to the bottom over the continental shelf and uppermost slope, between 30 and 500 m.
Diet
Feeds on small sharks and jacks.
Size
Maximum length about 190 cm, average length between 140 and 160 cm.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous (aplacental viviparous). Maturity is reached with a length of approximately 124 cm.
Similar Species
Two other angelsharks overlap with the distribution of the sawback angelshark, the Smoothback angelshark and the Angelshark and taxonomic features have to be used to clearly identify species.
Vulnerability
Category:Critically Endangered (CR) Criteria:A2bcd+3cd Last evaluated:2019 Trend:
