Photo. (c) 2021 John Nevill.
Photo. (c) 2021 John Nevill.
Genus: Elasmobranchii, Squalidae, Squaliformes
Scientific Name: Cirrhigaleus asper
English Name: Roughskin spurdog
Creole Name:
French Name: Aiguillat à peau rugueuse
IUCN Red List Status: Data Deficient (DD)
Description:
Dorsal spines: 3; Dorsal rays: 25-27; Anal rays: 24-25.
Greyish to greenish brown dorsally, with small pale spots. Whitish ventrally with yellow spots that can coalesce to form a reticulum particularly posteriorly. 3 large
oval white spots along the back and a small one dorsally on caudal peduncle; a broad white streak often on side of body posterior to upper end of gill opening. White
blotches and mid-lateral stripe can disappear with growth. An oblique groove before the eye; large bony scales behind gill opening. Caudal peduncle depressed, slender
and tapering. Yellow bands on dorsal and anal fins. Caudal fin, yellow with white bars and stripes pattern and diffuse black margin, double emarginate, lobes longer
with growth.
Size:
Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 60cm TL
Habitat and Ecology:
Reef associated. Inhabits mud and silt sand bottoms (depth 7-350m), usually 7-100m depth on sand, sponge, and weed bottoms. Feeds on benthic animals, including crabs,
molluscs and sea urchins. Juveniles in sheltered coastal bays and estuaries.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in both the fish trap and hand line fisheries and is, along with Sufflamen fraenatum,
the most commonly caught triggerfish in the artisanal fishery.
Notes:
Abalistes stellaris is a synonym for this species.
References:
Bray, D.J. (2018). Abalistes stellatus in Fishes of Australia, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/759 (30/10/18).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2018). FishBase https://www.fishbase.de/summary/abalistes-stellatus (30/10/18)
Matsuura, K. (2015). Taxonomy and systematics of tetraodontiform fishes: a review focusing primarily on progress in the period from 1980 to 2014. Ichthyol Res (2015)
62:72–113 DOI 10.1007/s10228-014-0444-5
Matsuura, K. & Motomura, H. (2015). Abalistes stellatus. The IUCN Red List 2015: e.T193587A56996805. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/193587/56996805 (18/06/22). .
Matsuura K, Yoshino T (2004). A new triggerfish of the genus Abalistes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) from the western Pacific. Rec Aust Mus 56:189-194
Smith, M & Heemstra, P Eds. (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G. & Mason-Parker, C. (2019). Abalistes stellatus, Starry triggerfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/abalistes-stellatus-anonymous-1798/ (updated 18/06/22).
Description:
Dorsal spines: 2.
Stocky, rough-skinned body (large denticles), broad flat head, short broadly rounded snout, large eyes and spiracles, anterior nasal flaps with short stubby medial barble. Dorsal fins with
high stout spines.The second dorsal fin is large, approaching the size of the first dorsal. The triangular pectoral fins are broad and have rounded tips. First dorsal
origin behind the free rear tips of the pectoral fins. Upper precaudal pit weak or absent. Caudal fin short with broad lobes. Oblique teeth with smooth-edged cusps and
distinct notches in the outer margins. Numbering 12-14 teeth on each side of the upper jaw and 11-12 teeth on each side of the lower jaw forming a near continuous cutting edge.
Colour. Dark grey to brown dorsally shading to a lighter colour ventrally. Conspicuous white edge to dorsal fins and to caudal fin to a lesser extent. The body lacks spots or any other distinctive markings.
flanks. Juveniles are brown in colour.
Size:
Born: about 20-28cm TL. Mature: Males 85-90, Females 89-110cm, Max 123.5cm.
Habitat and Ecology:
Occurs on or near bottom, upper and outer continental and insular shelves and slopes (depth 73-600m). Behaviour unknown. Adults eat bony fish and squid.
Viviparous, 18 to 22 pups per litter.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected. It is subject to the hook and line deepwater fishery where is a rare to very rare component of the catch.
Notes:
This species was first recorded at Aldabra but has subsequently been recorded in the West Atlantic and Central Pacific. This species was first documented in the Central Seychelles/Mahe Plateau fishery in 2014 by the author.
References:
Bester, C. (2018). Florida Museum. Cirrhigaleus asper. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/cirrhigaleus-asper/ (09/08/21).
Cirrhigaleus asper (Merrett, 1973): In: Database of modern sharks, rays and chimaeras, www.shark-references.com, World Wide Web electronic publication, Version 08/2021(09/08/21).
Ebert, D.A. et al (2013). Sharks of the World – A fully illustrated guide. Wild Nature press ISBN 978-0-9573946-0-5
Finucci, B. et al (2020). Cirrhigaleus asper. The IUCN Red List 2020: e.T60209A3092852. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T60209A3092852.en. (09/08/21)
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2021). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Cirrhigaleus-asper.html (09/08/21).
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G. (2021). Cirrhigaleus asper. Roughskin spurdog. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/7333-2/
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