Apristurus drona:
Scientists recently identified a new species of deep-sea catshark from the Arabian Sea off the Sakthikulangara harbour on the Kollam coast and named it Apristurus Drona, or the Arabian slender catshark.
- Apristurus Drona, or the Arabian slender catshark, is a new species of deep-sea catshark.
- It was discovered in the Arabian Sea off the Sakthikulangara harbour on the Kollam coast of Kerala.
- The species forms a distinct evolutionary lineage and is closely related to catshark species found in the Pacific Ocean and New Zealand.
- It appears to be extremely rare, occurring along the continental slope off Kollam and around the Wadge Bank.
- It has no commercial value and is only occasionally encountered in fishery bycatch.
- A catshark is any of more than 150 species of small mottled sharks (order Carcharhiniformes).
- They have slender bodies and eyes that are elongated, giving them a catlike appearance.
- Cat sharks prey on invertebrates and small fishes.
- They have been found in all major marine environments of the tropical and temperate regions, although many bottom-dwelling species are rare and poorly understood.
- No species is known to be aggressive toward humans.
