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Nursehound (Scyliorhinus stellaris)
Key Findings
Nursehound (Fig. 1), also known as greater spotted catshark, greater spotted dogfish, or rock salmon, are a larger species of catshark found throughout Europe and the Mediterranean (IUCN, 2020; Shark Trust, 2020). Nursehound are a nocturnal species that live at the seabed over rocky substrate. In the daytime, they huddle in small caves (Wildlife Trusts, n.d.).
Like the small-spotted catshark, nursehounds are oviparous (egg laying), producing ‘mermaid purse’ egg cases that may wash up on beaches (Shark Trust, 2020). They are not generally targeted in fishing as they are not commercially popular, but they are at risk of bycatch (Shark Trust, 2020). Currently the IUCN (2020) classifies nursehounds as ‘Vulnerable’.
Figure 1: (Wildlife Trusts, n.d.) Nursehound
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