Slender weasel shark

Slender weasel shark
Conservation status
	; Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Division:	Selachii
Order:	Carcharhiniformes
Family:	Hemigaleidae
Genus:	Paragaleus
Species:	P. longicaudatus
Binomial name
	Paragaleus longicaudatus; Bessednov, 1996
Synonyms
	Paragaleus randalli Compagno, Krupp & K. E. Carpenter, 1996

The slender weasel shark, Paragaleus longicaudatus, is a weasel shark of the family Hemigaleidae. It is found in the western Indian Ocean, off Bahrain. It can grow up to a length of 48 cm (19 in).

The slender weasel shark is a harmless Viviparous species, about which little is known.

Morphology

The slender weasel shark is often mistaken for smaller sharks in the family Carcharhinidae and thus neglected in studies, however it is easy to identify morphologically. The shark has distinctly narrow, strongly falcated pectoral fins, short gill slits, a wedge like snout, and small spiracles. A notable feature is on the underside of the shark’s head where two dusky stripes are found parallel to each other at the tip of the snout.^[2]

Biology

Little is known about P. longicaudatus' behaviour and its distribution. However, dissections of specimens suggests that its diet mainly comprises cephalopods. ^[2]

References

^ VanderWright, W.J.; Simpfendorfer, C.; Bin Ali, A.; Bineesh, K.K.; Derrick, D.; Elhassan, I.; Jabado, R.W.; Moore, A.; Utzurrum, J.A.T.; Yuneni, R.R. (2021). "Paragaleus randalli". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T161506A173437966. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T161506A173437966.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b Dareen K. Almojil, ALEC B. M. Moore, William T. White (2015). Sharks & rays of the Persian gulf (in French). MBG (INT) Ltd. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-9930427-2-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)