Centrophorus moluccensis Bleeker, 1860a

Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, Zootaxa 4947 (1), pp. 1-127 : 24

Centrophorus moluccensis Bleeker, 1860a

Smallfin Gulper Shark

Centrophorus moluccensis Bleeker, 1860a: 3 . Holotype: RMNH 7415 . Type locality: Ambon Island, Molucca Islands , Indonesia, southwestern Pacific.

Local synonymy: Atractophorus armatus : Gilchrist, 1922b: 48, fig. 3, pl. 7 (original description, Natal, South Africa); Smith, 1949a: 57, fig. 47; Smith, 1965: 57, fig. 47. Centrophorus armatus: Smith, 1967b: 124 , pl. 28. Centrophorus scalpratus: Bass et al., 1976: 29 , fig. 21; Bass et al., 1986: 51, fig. 5.3. Centrophorus moluccensis: Compagno, 1984a: 40 , fig.; Compagno et al., 1989: 24, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 114; Compagno et al., 2005: 85, fig., pl. 4; Ebert, 2013: 72, fig. 90; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 104, fig., pl. 6; Ebert & Mostarda, 2013: 25, fig.; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 144; Weigmann, 2016: 890.

South Africa voucher material: SAIAB 6006 [former ORI 2673], SAIAB 6009 [former ORI 1020].

South Africa distribution: Off Durban (KZN) and north to the border with Mozambique.

Remarks: First described as a new species ( Atractophorus armatus ) by Gilchrist (1922b), it has gone by several different scientific names in South Africa, but all are referable to C. moluccensis . This species was very common off northern KZN and southern Mozambique ( Bass et al., 1976).

Conservation status: VU (2020).