Haploblepharus edwardsii
Happy eddie | Puffadder Shyshark
Distribution
Temperate Africa
Description
Bottom-dwelling shark, endemic to South Africa. Two slightly different colour forms, one from the western edge of it's distribution around Cape Agulhas, and the other from the eastern side of it's distribution in Natal. Further taxonomic study may find these two to be sub-species, or perhaps separate species. The western form is sandy brown, with dark-edged yellow-brown bands, faint, large, round spots on centre of back between bands and often a scattering of light or dark spots over body. The eastern form is cream with darker bands and irregular white spots. Both are white on underside.
Information
Max Size: 59 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 7.7-24.1°C
Depth: 0-130m
Habitat Generalization Index: N/A
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
Occurrence: Widespread (100% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Many (10 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: Joe Shields