Paragaleus leucolomatus Compagno & Smale, 1985

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 : 59

Paragaleus leucolomatus Compagno & Smale, 1985

Whitefin Weasel Shark

Paragaleus leucolomatus Compagno & Smale, 1985: 9 , figs. 2–8. Holotype (unique): SAIAB [formerly RUSI] 21175. Type locality: Southeast of Kosi Bay mouth, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, southwestern Indian Ocean, depth 20 m.

Local synonymy: Paragaleus leucolomatus: Compagno & Smale, 1985: 9 , figs. 2–8; Bass et al., 1986: 83, fig. 9.30; Compagno, 1988a: 35; Compagno et al., 1989: 60, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 119; Compagno et al., 2005: 286, fi.g, pl. 49; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 435, fig., pl. 60; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 146; Weigmann, 2016: 863.

South Africa voucher material: Holotype: SAIAB 21175 . A few other specimens are in the fish collections of SAIAB and SAM, but are uncatalogued.

South African distribution: Sodwana Bay to the KZN border with Mozambique.

Remarks: A rare species known from a few specimens caught between southern Mozambique and Sodwana Bay. Local beach anglers in northern KZN are familiar with this species, but release them if caught (R. Kyle, Oceanographic Research Institute, pers. comm.).

Conservation status: VU (2020).