Date:Wed 6/5/2024 5:01 PM
Wonderful Wednesday, all! Today's fish is the pajama shark!
The pajama shark, also known by scientific name Poroderma africanum, is known mostly by divers along Cape Town. These animals are a kind of catshark, a family defined by egg laying and bottom feeding. With a range along the coast of Southern Africa, they stretch from Table bay to East London, found most prominently off of the Western Cape. Historical records imply at one point there may have been a population in Madagascar, but currently there are no signs this population still exists.
These fish live in shallow waters, getting as deep as 16ft, although in areas with rocky shores, they have been found as deep as 150-300ft, with a strong preference for intertidal locations with nearby kelp forests.. The diet of the pajama shark is made up of bony fishes, smaller rays or sharks, crabs, lobster, cephalopods. In particular pajama sharks have been seen hiding among squid eggs, and ambushing descending parents. They have also been seen ambusing octopi in their area as well, grabbing them and twisting to tear off tentacles larger than the pajama shark's body. They can get as large as 4 ft in length, on the midrange for catsharks.
They have no breeding season, instead having sexual events year round. one pup can be made at a time and eggs are hidden underwater, and covered in algae of kelp to remain hidden. The eggs will take 5-6 months to hatch, after which pups will measure only 14-15 inches long. They will mature sexually by the time they reach 30-35 inches in length, and can live up to 5 years. They hunt in daylight until sexual maturity, at which point they shift schedule, primarily hunting at night, finding places among kelp to rest during the day
Have a good day, everyone!