DiscoverSpeciesSharks and rays
broadfin sawtail catshark
Galeus nipponensis
- Usual depth209–570 m
- Water temperature18–26 °C
- Best monthsMarch
- How commonRare
About this species
The broadfin sawtail catshark is a species of shark belonging to the family Pentanchidae, the deepwater catsharks. It is found on or near the bottom at depths of 150–540 m (490–1,770 ft), from southeastern Japan to the East China Sea. A slender species growing to 68 cm (27 in) long, this shark is characterized by a fairly long, pointed snout, a series of indistinct, dark saddles along its back and tail, and a prominent crest of enlarged dermal denticles along the dorsal edge of its caudal fin. In addition, adult males have very long claspers that reach past the anal fin. The broadfin sawtail catshark is an opportunistic predator of bony fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans, with immature and mature sharks being primarily piscivorous. It is oviparous and reproduces year-round.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Broadfin sawtail catshark”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 1 records
- February: 0 records
- March: 3 records
- April: 0 records
- May: 1 records
- June: 0 records
- July: 0 records
- August: 0 records
- September: 1 records
- October: 1 records
- November: 0 records
- December: 1 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 209–570 m · Deepest record: 569.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 18–26 °C
Names and classification
- English
- broadfin sawtail catshark
Names in 2 more languages
- German
- Breitflossen-Sägeschwanz-Katzenhai
- Japanese
- Nihon-yamorizame, ニホンヤモリザメ
Similar species
Slender Sawtail CatsharkGaleus gracilis
- Corrigan's Catshark
Galeus corriganae
- gecko catshark
Galeus eastmani
- Longnose Sawtail Catshark
Galeus longirostris
- Phallic Catshark
Galeus priapus
- blacktip sawtail catshark
Galeus sauteri
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 36 open-data records from 2002 to 2006.
- Species data updated November 2, 2026.
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