Author: Smith and Radcliffe, 1913
Diagnostic Features:
Snout relatively long, narrow, and pointed, head broad and flattened, back somewhat humped over gills and pectoral bases. A pair of barbels present on throat, unique to this genus and found in no other sharks. Eyes horizontally oval. Tooth counts 27 to 29/25 to 26 in adults. Pectoral fins relatively thin and rather large, their anterior margins nearly equal to head length and distance between pectoral and pelvic bases. Colour pattern of dark saddles present, but no small spots or collar markings around gills.
Remarks:
Data for the three species of Cirrhoscyllium are from Smith and Radcliffe (1913), Kamohara (1943), and Teng (1959a). It is not certain at present whether the characters used to distinguish the three species are valid, and if so, if the three species are synonyms. Pending further studies on the genus these species are provisionally recognized.