Species profile
African Spotted Catshark
Small East African catshark marked with spotting and a benthic body plan.
Holohalaelurus punctatus
Overview
The African spotted catshark is a small bottom-associated shark from East African waters. It belongs to the broad catshark grouping, so the useful cues are a slim body, long tail, spotted patterning, and a seafloor-oriented posture rather than dramatic headline size.
In this guide it is recorded from western Indian Ocean waters around Mozambique and Kenya. Recorded maximum length: 0.3 m.
Patterning, small size, and a bottom-associated posture do most of the identification work.
Common nameAfrican spotted catshark
Scientific nameHolohalaelurus punctatus
FamilyScyliorhinidae
OrderCarcharhiniformes
Max length0.3 m
RegionMozambique, Mozambican EEZ, Kenya
How to recognize it
Look for a small benthic shark with a slender body and spotted markings rather than the clean gray look of many open-water sharks.
Range and habitat
western Indian Ocean waters around Mozambique and Kenya.
Field note
Patterning, small size, and a bottom-associated posture do most of the identification work.
Related shark pages
Use these nearby pages to compare body plans, habitat, and species that are often learned together.
Pygmy Ribbontail Catshark
Tiny ribbontail catshark from western Indian Ocean waters off Tanzania and Somalia.
0.2 m
Spotted Wobbegong
Camouflaged reef carpet shark with powerful nocturnal foraging.
3.2 mLeast Concern
Nurse Shark
Bottom-dwelling shark with a slow, steady pace.
3.2 mNear Threatened