Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Japanese angelshark (Squatina japonica), recorded as Critically Endangered
Japanese angelshark (Squatina japonica). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Japanese angelshark

Squatina japonica

Japanese angelshark is a shark or ray in the family Squatinidae (order Squatiniformes) — Squatina japonica, recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Squatina japonica
Taxonomy
Elasmobranchii · Squatiniformes · Squatinidae · Squatina

Appearance

There are five pairs of gill slits located on the sides of the head. The two angular dorsal fins are similar in shape and size, and are located behind the pelvic fins. The caudal peduncle is flattened with a keel running along either side, and supports a roughly triangular caudal fin with rounded corners.

Various sources give differing maximum lengths, ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 m (4.9 to 8.2 ft).

Range and habitat

The Japanese angelshark is native to the cooler waters of the northwestern Pacific. Its range extends from the eastern coast of Honshu, Japan, to Taiwan, and includes the southern Sea of Japan, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait. Some older sources reported it may occur in the Philippines, but recent research suggests the only angel shark species in that area is S. Caillieti. The Japanese angelshark inhabits the continental shelf, usually in the shallows, but also to as deep as 300 m (980 ft).

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Diet

During the day, the Japanese angelshark mostly lies partly buried on the bottom. Its complex color pattern provides camouflage as it ambushes nearby prey. Its diet consists of demersal fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans.

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.

In crisis

Japanese angelshark is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Japanese angelshark, Wikidata item Q28832. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Sawback angelshark (Squatina aculeata), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sawback angelshark

Squatina aculeata
Photograph of Argentine angelshark (Squatina argentina), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Argentine angelshark

Squatina argentina
Photograph of Chilean angelshark (Squatina armata), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Chilean angelshark

Squatina armata
Photograph of Smoothback angelshark (Squatina oculata), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Smoothback angelshark

Squatina oculata

Quick answers

What is Japanese angelshark?
Japanese angelshark is a shark or ray in the family Squatinidae (order Squatiniformes) — Squatina japonica.
What is the conservation status of Japanese angelshark?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Squatina japonica. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Japanese angelshark live?
The Japanese angelshark is native to the cooler waters of the northwestern Pacific. Its range extends from the eastern coast of Honshu, Japan, to Taiwan, and includes the southern Sea of Japan, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait.
Why is Japanese angelshark in crisis?
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.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Squatina japonica?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Japanese angelshark a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.