Knowra Angelshark Angelshark An angelshark is a flattened, bottom-dwelling shark in the genus Squatina, with broad pectoral fins that give its body a ray-like outline. It ambushes prey from the seafloor.
Benthic zone : The ecological region at the bottom of a body of water, including its surface and subsurface layers. Angelsharks spend much of their time resting on the seabed.
Shark : A cartilaginous fish belonging to the group Selachii, characterized by multiple gill slits and a replaceable tooth supply. Angelsharks are sharks despite their unusually flattened outline.
Common angelshark : A critically endangered angelshark, Squatina squatina, found in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. It is the best-known European species and a focus of recovery efforts.
Guitarfish : A group of batoid fishes with flattened forebodies and shark-like tails. Guitarfish also blend shark-like and ray-like features, but are rays.
Camouflage : Coloration or form that reduces an organism’s visibility against its surroundings. Seabed-matching coloration helps an angelshark remain concealed from prey.
Squatiniformes : An order of cartilaginous fishes containing the angel sharks, family Squatinidae. This order groups angelsharks apart from other shark lineages.
Sawback angelshark : An angelshark species, Squatina aculeata, found in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Its status illustrates the severe conservation risks facing Mediterranean angelsharks.
Wobbegong : A family of carpet sharks that rest on the seafloor and ambush prey. Wobbegongs share the bottom-ambush strategy but have patterned, less flattened bodies.
Ambush predator : A predator that waits concealed before attacking prey at close range. Angelsharks lie in wait and strike when prey approaches.
Pectoral fin : A paired fin behind the head that helps a fish steer, stabilize, or lift its body. Broad pectoral fins create the angelshark’s distinctive ray-like profile.
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