Author: Regan, 1906
Field Marks:
Black coloration, no anal fin, dorsal fins with fin spines usually buried in the fins, moderately long snout, lanceolate upper teeth and-bladelike lower teeth with short, oblique cusps, fairly stocky body that does not taper abruptly from pectoral region, large lateral trunks denticles with mostly smooth, circular, cuspidate and acuspidate crowns in adults and subadults.
Diagnostic Features:
Body stocky, not strongly tapering back from pectoral region. Snout moderately long, preoral length about as long as distance from mouth to first gill slits and about equal to mouth width; lips moderately thick and fleshy; upper labial furrows very short, their lengths much less than distance between their front ends: lower teeth with short. oblique cusps and fairly hiqh, narrow roots. Second dorsal fin considerably higher than first, fin spines small and usually buried in fins. First dorsal base extending forward as a prominent ridge, origin over pectoral bases; second dorsal base much longer than space between it and upper caudal origin, free rear tip about opposite upper caudal origin; pectoral fins moderately large, apices falling well in front of first dorsal spine when laid back; free rear tips of pelvic fins below second dorsal insertion. Lateral trunk denticles large, with mostly smooth, circular ridgeless and acuspidate or medially cuspidate crowns. Colour blackish or dark brown.
Geographical Distribution:
Western South Atlantic: Uruguay. Eastern North Atlantic: Madeira, Senegal.
Habitat and Biology:
A little-known deepwater dogfish of the upper continental slopes from 400 to 1164 m, found on or near the bottom.
Size:
Maximum total length about 104 cm, adult males 72 to 84 cm, adult females 102 to 104 cm.
Interest to Fisheries:
Apparently of little importance, occasionally taken by trawlers in the eastern Atlantic.
Type material:
Holotype: British Museum (Natural History), BMNH 1865.5.20.4, 780 mm adult male. Type Locality: Madeira, eastern Atlantic.