Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) >
Pentanchidae (Deepwater catsharks)
Etymology: Apristurus: a-, Latin privative, i.e., without; pristis, from pristes (Gr.), sawyer (but here meaning saw); oura (Gr.), tail, referring to absence of saw-toothed crest of enlarged dermal denticles along upper edge of caudal fin as found in the closely related Pristiurus (=Galeus) (See ETYFish); laurussonii: In honor of Saemundsson’s friend Gísli Lárusson (1865-1935), goldsmith, watchmaker, farmer and nature enthusiast, for his “long and invaluable support of the study of Icelandic fishes, and for carefully encouraging the skillful fishermen of Vestmannaeyjar Island [near type locality]” (translation) (See ETYFish).
Eponymy: Gísli Láurusson (1865–1935) was an Icelander described as ‘Hr Direktur’. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 560 - 1550 m (Ref. 97621). Deep-water; 67°N - 11°N, 98°W - 11°E (Ref. 56872)
Western Atlantic: Massachusetts and Delaware, USA and the northern Gulf of Mexico. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland, southwestern Ireland, Canary Islands and Madeira.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 76.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 97621); 69.0 cm TL (female)
Fairly common on the upper continental slopes, usually over mud or other soft sea bottom (Ref. 9996). Oviparous (Ref. 50449).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).
Compagno, L.J.V., 1999. Checklist of living elasmobranchs. p. 471-498. In W.C. Hamlett (ed.) Sharks, skates, and rays: the biology of elasmobranch fishes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Maryland. (Ref. 35766)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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