This species of shark are one of a kind with unmistakable stripes running down the length of their bodies, and two dorsal fins located way back on their body. They are also known as the Striped Catshark. For cat sharks, the Pyjama sharks are one of the larger species. They can reach a maximum height of 3.1 feet. They can be seen from the continental shelf to the upper slope down to (925.2 ft) deep.
Due to their sizes and habitat, they are still considered as harmless to humans. The Pyjama Shark is a hardy species, adapting well to life in captivity. Although, it is sometimes taken as a by-catch by bottom dwellers, it is often discarded and not consumed. The predator of these shark species includes the larger sharks such as sevengill shark. The Pyjama sharks are currently listed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as “Lower Risk/Near Threatened.”
The currently valid scientific name of Pyjama Shark is Poroderma africanum.
Morphology
This slow swimming catshark is distinguished mostly by its long horizontal black stripes along its back. This large catshark has short nasal barbels measuring less than half of the length of the nostrils. Regarding coloration, the Pyjama is grayish in color, while the ventral side is pale. Each jaw of this shark has several rows of sharp, thin tricuspid teeth. The maximum size of the male Pyjama catsharks is about 39.8 inches in length, while the female maximum length is 36.6 inches. The male matures at lengths of about 22.8 to 30.7 inches and the female become mature at 25.6 to 28.3 inches.
Adaptation
The Pyjama sharks have several rows of sharp, thin tricuspid teeth that enable them to feed on vast arrays of preys.
Feeding
They feed on a variety of fish, small sharks, shark egg cases, as well as range of invertebrates.
Habitat
The striped catsharks can be found both offshore and inshore over the continental shelf. They are endemic to the waters off the coast of South Africa in the southeast Atlantic Ocean and the western Indian Ocean. They prefer rock beefs ranging from the intertidal zone to depths of 328 feet. As a nocturnal species, it is commonly observed in caves and crevices during the day. In daytime, the Pyjama shark is typically a very sluggish species, however its activity increases during nighttime hours as it searches for prey.
Reproduction
As an oviparous species, the Pyjama shark lays a single egg case per oviduct. Each egg case measures 2 x 4 inches with sticky surface. In the wild, the number of time it took to hatch after being released is undetermined. Nevertheless, it took approximately 5 months and 15 days to hatch in the aquarium. The size of each hatchling is about 5.9 inches and closely resemble the adult Pyjama shark.
References
Bester, C. (2018, April 6). Poroderma africanum. Florida Museum. Retrieved from https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/poroderma-africanum/
IUCN Redlist (2020). Pyjama Shark. Retrieved from https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/39348/10211867
Marquez, M.C (2018). Pyjama Shark. Retrieved from https://www.finsunited.co.nz/bite-blog/pyjama-shark
Shark Research Institute (2020). Pyjama Shark- Poroderma africanum. Retrieved from https://www.sharks.org/pyjama-shark-poroderma-africanum
Sharkwater (2019). Pyjama Catshark. Retrieved from https://www.sharkwater.com/shark-database/sharks/striped-catshark/