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Type: Articles
Published: 2006-06-12
Page range: 1–32
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A taxonomic revision of the catshark genus Poroderma Smith, 1837 (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae)

Previous Address: Shark Research Centre, South African Museum, Iziko - Museums of Cape Town, PO Box 61, Cape Town 8000, South Africa Current Address: 27 Southern Ave, West Beach SA 5024, Australia
Pisces Scyliorhinidae Poroderma africanum Poroderma pantherinum taxonomy revision South Africa

Abstract

This paper examines the alpha level taxonomy of the genus Poroderma Smith, 1837 (Chondrichthyes: Scyliorhinidae), which is endemic to South Africa. A novel species identification key is presented for Poroderma, and a comprehensive review of the taxonomy (including type material and synonyms) and distribution of all taxa is presented. Conoporoderma Fowler, 1934 is shown to be a junior synonym of Poroderma Smith, 1837, P. marleyi Fowler, 1934 is shown to be a junior synonym of P. pantherinum, and a new colour form of P. pantherinum is described. This review is the first to offer a comprehensive description of the colour variation exhibited by P. pantherinum. The genus Poroderma contains the contemporary taxa P. africanum (Gmelin, 1789) and P. pantherinum (Smith in Müller and Henle, 1838).

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