Galeus murinus (Collett, 1904)

Mouse catshark

Galeus murinus is a bottom living shark found on the continental shelf from 380 to 1,200 m, and occaisonally shallower.  They are distributed in the eastern parts of the north Atlantic including the Faroes and Iceland (Whitehead et al., 1989).

The genus Galeus are recognised by thier snout which is longer than the width across the mouth, altough in the mouse catshark is relatively broad and blunt.  The first of two dorsal fins originates over the rear part of the pelvic fins.  The mouse catshark are uniformly brown on the dorsal side with a paler shade ventrally and can measure over 63 cm (Whitehead et al., 1989).

Galeus murinus were recorded from the Perseverance Mounds in the northern Porcupine Seabight, during the Caracole cruise of August 2001.

The mouse catshark appears to be of no commercial importance.

There is more information available for this species in FishBase. 

Prepared by: Ecological Consultancy Services Ltd www.ecoserve.ie