Apristurus microps (Gilchrist, 1922b)

Smalleye Catshark

Scylliorhinus microps Gilchrist, 1922b: 46, fig. 1, pl. 7. Holotype: lost (additional material, possible syntype: 1, lost). Type locality: off Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa, southeastern Atlantic, 33°45.8'S, 17°17.1'E, S.S. Pickle station 253, depth 1446 m.

Local synonymy: Scylliorhinus microps: Gilchrist, 1922b: 46, fig. 1, pl. 7; Barnard, 1925: 41. Pentanchus microps: Fowler, 1941: 61; Smith, 1949a: 54, fig. 41; Smith, 1965: 54, fig. 41. Apristurus microps: Bigelow & Schroeder, 1948b: 221; Bass et al., 1975a: 7; Springer, 1979: 23; Compagno, 1984b: 275, fig.; Bass, 1986: 88, fig. 11.1; Compagno, 1988a: 170; Compagno et al., 1989: 46, pl.; Compagno et al., 1991: 75; Ebert et al., 1996: 234; Compagno, 1999: 119; Compagno et al., 2005: 196, fig., pl. 31; Ebert et al., 2006: 1056, fig. 3c; Flammang et al., 2007: 308; Ebert, 2013: 169, fig. 218; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 295, fig., pl. 36; Ebert & Mostada, 2013: 53, fig.; Ebert, 2015: 144, fig. 157; Ebert & Mostada, 2015: 44, fig.; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 147; Weigmann, 2016: 868.

South Africa voucher material: SAIAB 26318, SAIAB 26319, SAIAB 26320, SAIAB 27439.

South African distribution: The Orange River (NC) to at least Cape Agulhas, and possibly to Algoa Bay (EC) .

Remarks: Apristurus microps was described from South Africa, and is also known from the North Atlantic, but appears to have a disjunct population since there are no confirmed records of this species between the Orange River (NC), South Africa and European Atlantic waters between Scotland and Iceland.

Conservation status: LC (2019).