Blackgill catshark

Dichichthys melanobranchus

Black gills settle over mud with egg cases

Black
Northern Hemisphere
Regional distribution
Marine fish
Pacific Ocean
East Asia
Elongated
Large

The blackgill catshark or blackgill bristle shark (Dichichthys melanobranchus) is a deep water bristle shark known from very few specimens, found on or near the bottom on the continental slope, at 540–835 metres (1,772–2,740 ft) off the coasts of China and Japan. Specimens can attain a total length of at least 85 cm (33 in), have elongated cat-like eyes, and have two small dorsal fins set far back. They're oviparous and lay one egg at a time.

Class: Sharks and Rays
Order: Ground Sharks
Family: Dichichthyidae
Genus: Dichichthys
Maximum length: 85 cm
Water: Marine
Body shape: elongated
Distribution: Northwest Pacific: known from only 3 specimens taken in the South China Sea. Collected less than a degree north of the northwestern boundary of the Western Central Pacific (Ref. 11146 ).

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