Philippines angelshark

Like other angel sharks, S. caillieti has a flattened, ray-like form with greatly enlarged pectoral and pelvic fins. The horizontal edges of the broad, rounded head bear enlarged folds of skin. The large nostrils are teardrop-shaped and preceded by flaps of skin enlarged into two cylindrical barbels that overhang the mouth. The eyes are horizontally oval and placed relatively close together. Behind the eyes are crescent-shaped spiracles, which are spaced further apart than the eyes and bear prominent papillae (nipple-shaped structures) along their posterior inner rims. The mouth is wide and terminally placed on the snout, with furrows at the corners and the center of the upper lip forming a rounded arch. The upper and lower jaws contain 10 and 9 tooth rows respectively on either side; the teeth are small, conical, and sharp. The five pairs of gill slits are laterally situated on the head. The pectoral fins have straight leading margins and rounded outer corners, that form an angle slightly over 120°. The anterior lobes of the pectoral fins are free from the head. The pelvic fins are roughly triangular and about three-quarters as long as the pectoral fins; the pelvic fin rear tips are approximately even with the origin of the first dorsal fin. The two dorsal fins are similar in shape, with the first slightly larger than the second. …

The single S. caillieti specimen was collected by trawl from a depth of 363–385 m (1,191–1,263 ft), southeast of the island of Luzon. It is the only species of angel shark known to occur in the Philippines.

The conservation status of S. caillieti has not yet been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

== References ==