Pyjama Shark

Overview

A small, striped catshark endemic to South Africa. Active at night, resting in crevices and caves by day. Named for its distinctive dark longitudinal stripes. Harmless to humans.

Habitat

They enjoy the continental shelf to the upper slope, from the surf line and intertidal to 925.2 ft [282 m] deep. They are usually on or near the bottom in rocky areas, and often in caves.

Distribution

These sharks are in the southeast Atlantic and western Indian Oceans. They are apparently endemic to South Africa (both Capes, rarely to KwaZulu-Natal). There are records from Zaire, Madagascar, and Mauritius, but they require verification.

Behavior

They are usually nocturnal, but sometimes active during the day.