How to Identify Nursehound

To identify Nursehound (Scyliorhinus stellaris), look at these key features.

Physical Characteristics

Body shape

elongated

Coloration

Dorsal surface is typically brownish-grey to reddish-brown, covered with numerous large, irregularly shaped dark brown or black spots. The ventral surface is paler, often whitish. Juveniles may have more distinct banding.

Scale type

placoid

Mouth position

inferior

Distinctive features

Robust body with a blunt, rounded snout, Large, widely spaced dark spots on the dorsal surface, Two dorsal fins located far back on the body, Nostrils with short, triangular anterior nasal flaps that do not reach the mouth

Dorsal fin

Two small, spineless dorsal fins, with the first dorsal fin originating over or slightly behind the pelvic fin bases. The second dorsal fin is similar in size to the first.

Tail fin

Caudal fin is elongated and low, with a distinct subterminal notch and no ventral lobe.

Pectoral fin

Broad and rounded.

Distinctive fins

Pelvic fins are separate in males and fused in females, forming a 'skirt' around the cloaca.

Identification Tips

1. 1

   Spotting Pattern

   Look for large, widely spaced dark spots on a brownish-grey background. This distinguishes it from the Lesser Spotted Catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) which has smaller, more numerous, and often more densely packed spots.

2. 2

   Nasal Flaps

   Observe the anterior nasal flaps; in S. stellaris, they are short and triangular and do not reach the mouth. In contrast, S. canicula has longer nasal flaps that reach the mouth.

3. 3

   Body Size and Robustness

   S. stellaris is generally larger and more robust than S. canicula, reaching up to 1.7 meters in length, whereas S. canicula rarely exceeds 1 meter.

4. 4

   Pelvic Fins (Sex-dependent)

   In mature females, the pelvic fins are fused, forming a 'skirt' around the cloaca, a feature not present in S. canicula.

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