#angelsharks

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

Have you seen the African angelshark (Squatina africana)?

I have now

Yes, in photos/videos

Yes, irl

I'm not sure

Voting ended onAug 30, 2025

Hard to get photos of living individuals where they aren't buried in sand/silt/etc, enjoy photos of these fellows lying in wait for their prey to approach.

[antiqueanimals]

Angelshark (Squatina squatina)

Fishes of the World. Written by Hans Hvass. Illustrated by Wilhelm Eigener. Originally published in 1964.

Internet Archive

[just-here-for-shark-stuff]

Daily Shark Fact - 4/5/2025

Today's shark is the angelshark!

The basics: also sometimes called "monkfish" (though they're not related to the bony fish who share the nickname), angelsharks (Squatina squatina) are ambush predators who camouflage themselves on the sea floor and wait for prey to pass by. Like all angelsharks, they have a wide, flattened body, making them look a bit similar to rays instead of other sharks! Angelsharks prefer to lay motionless in wait on the seabed, where they bury themselves down into the soft sandy floor to hide.

Conservation status: critically endangered. Angelsharks were once common, but their populations have suffered greatly as a result of bycatch from commercial fisheries, as they're often in the crossfire of bottom-trawling nets and lines thanks to their preferred habitat near the shore. They are locally extinct in many areas where they were once common.

Today's fun fact: though angelsharks were once thought to be exclusively ambush predators, they've been noted to become much more active at night, occasionally seen swimming around above the sea floor! This indicates they may be more opportunistic than once thought and adopt active hunting strategies when they're in the mood.

[oceansoftheworld]

Photo by Andy Murch | Info

The Japanese angelshark (Squatina japonica) is a species of angelshark (family Squatinidae) found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean off China, Japan, and Korea. It is a bottom-dwelling shark found in sandy habitats down to 300 m (980 ft) deep. This species has the flattened shape with wing-like pectoral and pelvic fins typical of its family, and grows to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) or more in length. Feeding on fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans, the Japanese angelshark is a nocturnal ambush predator that spends most of the day lying still on the sea floor. This species gives birth to live young; the litter size varies from two to 10. It is not dangerous to humans unless provoked.

[your-fave-is-pupy]

angelsharks from real life are all pupy!

[dynamicoceans]

The Angelshark (Squatina squatina) typifies the fish most at risk of extinction: it grows to a large size and is cartilaginous, so it has characteristics which make it less resilient. Once common throughout Europe, it is now only found in the Canary Islands. Source

[sundryhoards]

Just posted a few lots of angel shark teeth from the Miocene era fossil bone bed near Bakersfield, California. These were collected on a private claim, they are about 15 million years old. PM for details or visit our eBay store for more fossil listings. #fossil #fossils #fossilcollector #fossilcollecting #fossilhunter #angelsharks #shark #sharks #sharkteeth #fossilteeth #miocene #miocenefossil #bakersfield #bakersfieldfossils #california #naturalhistory #sale #forsale #forsalebyowner

[taxonomytournament]

Taxonomy Tournament: Cartilaginous Fish

Hexanchiformes. This order of sharks are the most primitive morphologically. It includes the cow shark.

Squatiniformes. This order is made up of the angelsharks, which have flattened bodies and broad pectoral fins, and are bottom-dwelling ambush predators

Which clade of animals is better?

Hexanchiformes

Squatiniformes

Show results

Voting ended onFeb 14, 2024