Suggested citation:
Last, P.R., Motomura, H. & White, W.T. (2008a) Cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp. nov., a
new swellshark (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from southeastern Australia, pp. 147–
157. In: P.R. Last, W.T. White & J.J. Pogonoski (eds). Descriptions of new AustralianChondrichthyans. CSIRO Marine & AtmosphericResearch Paper 022, 358 pp.

Descriptions of new Australian chondrichthyans

147

Cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp. nov., a new swellshark (Carcharhiniformes:
Scyliorhinidae) from southeastern Australia
Peter R. Last1, Hiroyuki Motomura2 & William T. White1
CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, TAS, 7001, AUSTRALIA
2The Kagoshima University Museum, 1–21–30 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890–0065, JAPAN1

ABSTRACT.— A new species of swellshark, Cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp. nov., is described basedon material from the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope of southeastern Australia.
Cephaloscyllium albipinnum has a parapatric distribution with another large swellshark, C. laticeps. These
species can be distinguished by a combination of coloration and meristics. Cephaloscyllium albipinnum,
which belongs to a subgroup of swellsharks with a colour pattern dominated by dark dorsal saddles
and blotches (rather than being strongly mottled or variegated), has an egg case with a smooth surface.
In comparison, the egg cases of C. laticeps are unique within the genus in possessing a series of thicktransverse ridges. Other Australian saddled swellsharks have narrower saddles with larger interspaces, aswell as subtle differences in body shape. A deepwater swellshark from New Zealand, C. isabella, also has
well defined saddle-like markings but differs from Australian species in having a distinctive stellate saddle
between the spiracles, and larger and more widely spaced denticles.
Key words. Scyliorhinidae – Cephaloscyllium albipinnum – swellshark – new species – Australia
PDF contact: john.pogonoski@csiro.au

INTRODUCTION
Last & Stevens (1994) identified 7 Cephaloscyllium
species from Australian waters of which 5 were considered
to be undescribed. One of these species, known as thewhitefin swellshark (C. sp. A sensu Last & Stevens),
occurs off southeastern Australia where it is parapatricwith an abundant inshore species, C. laticeps (Duméril,1853). Cephaloscyllium sp. A was taken during the first
deepwater fishery resource surveys off southern Australia
but was mistaken as a variant of C. laticeps (Last & Harris,
1981). It was subsequently misidentified and figured as
C. nascione Whitley, 1932 by Compagno (1984) and May& Maxwell (1986), which presumably led to its inclusionas that species in an Australian Pisces checklist (Paxton etal., 1989). Cephaloscyllium nascione is now considered
to be a junior synonym of C. laticeps (Last & Stevens,
1994, Hoese et al., 2006). Whitley’s (1932) swellshark,
which was named C. isabella nascione, was thought to bea subspecies of the New Zealand swellshark, C. isabellum(Bonnaterre, 1788). However, the New Zealand species
differs from all Australian swellsharks in colour patternand denticle morphology.
Cephaloscyllium sp. A is a common bycatch in trawl
fisheries of southeastern Australia. New South Wales

catches, thought to be of C. sp. A but probably of C. sp. C
sensu Last & Stevens, declined by more than 30% over a
20 year period (Barratt & Kyne, 2003). Cephaloscyllium
sp. A has been rated as near threatened by the IUCN
(Barratt & Kyne, 2003), and despite confusion with
C. sp. C., this rating is probably appropriate. This new
species is formally described and compared closely with
C. laticeps, C. isabellum and C. umbratile Jordan &Fowler, 1903.
METHODS
Morphometric characters were selected to facilitatecomparisons of the new Cephaloscyllium species
with the sympatric C. laticeps. Our methods generally
followed a widely adopted scheme for elasmobranchs(Compagno, 1984, 2001), but focused on direct rather
than horizontal measurements. The holotype (CSIRO H
5314–11) and 6 paratypes (CSIRO CA 58, CSIRO CA
4500, CSIRO H 1328–01, CSIRO H 1328–02, CSIRO
H 3866–01 and CSIRO H 5940–01) of the new species,
8 specimens of C. laticeps (CSIRO CA 4501, CSIRO
H 1264–13, CSIRO H 1330–01, CSIRO H 1333–01,
CSIRO H 2649–01, CSIRO H 3547–01, CSIRO H
3574–01 and CSIRO H 3850–05) and two specimens of

148
C. isabellum (NMNZ P 5454 and NMNZ P 20991) were
measured in full (Table 1). Meristics were taken fromradiographs of the holotype and 12 paratypes (CSIRO
CA 58, CSIRO CA 4498, CSIRO CA 4500, CSIRO H
985–04, CSIRO H 1328–01, CSIRO H 1328–02, CSIRO
H 1329–01, CSIRO H 3579–01, CSIRO H 3704–03,
CSIRO H 3704–04, CSIRO H 3866–01 and CSIRO H
5940–01) of the new species, 9 specimens of C. laticeps(CSIRO CA 4501, CSIRO H 1264–12, CSIRO H 1332–
01, CSIRO H 1333–01, CSIRO H 1334–01, CSIRO H
1339–01, CSIRO H 2341–01, CSIRO H 2649–01 andCSIRO H 3547–01) and 4 specimens of C. isabellum(NMNZ P 5454, NMNZ P 20971, NMNZ P 20978 and
NMNZ P 20991). Meristics were obtained separately fortrunk (monospondylous), precaudal (monospondylous+ diplospondylous to origin of upper lobe of caudal fin)and caudal (centra of the caudal fin) vertebrae. In thedescription, morphometric and meristic values for theholotype are given first followed in parentheses by theranges of the measured paratypes. Morphometric methods
for egg cases follow those described by Ebert et al. (2006)
and are presented for both the new species and C. laticeps(see Table 2). Type specimens and comparative material
are deposited in the Australian National Fish Collection,
Hobart (CSIRO), and ichthyological collections of theSouth Australian Museum (SAMA) and Museum of New
Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa (NMNZ); their registration
numbers are prefixed with these acronyms.

Cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp. nov.
Figs 1, 2, 3a; Table 1, 2
Cephaloscyllium sp. A: Last & Stevens, 1994: pp 170, 192, key fig.
44, fig. 26.20, pl. 23; Compagno et al., 2005: pp 219, 220, pl. 36.
Cephaloscyllium nascione: Gomon et al., 1994: pp 136, 137,
figs 104, 105.

Holotype. CSIRO H 5314–11, adult male 1013 mm TL,
east of Maria Island, Tasmania, 42°38′ S, 148°26′ E,
445–463 m, 01 May 2000.
Paratypes. 15 specimens. CSIRO CA 58, immature male
638 mm TL, north-east of Flinders Island, Tasmania,
39°27′ S, 148°33′ E, 240–300 m, 28 Nov 1976; CSIROCA 4498, female 421 mm TL, CSIRO CA 4499, female
475 mm TL, Australia, 21 Jan 1986; CSIRO CA 4500,
female 590 mm TL, east of Maria Island, Tasmania,
42°39′ S, 148°25′ E, 462–480 m, 17 Apr 1984; CSIRO
H 985–04, female 446 mm TL, east of Maria Island,
Tasmania, 42°40′ S, 148°24′ E, 428–460 m, 30 Oct 1984;
CSIRO H 1328–01, immature male 737 mm TL, CSIRO
H 1328–02, female 619 mm TL, west of Cape Sorell,
Tasmania, 42°10′ S, 144°43′ E, 546–548 m, 17 July
1983; CSIRO H 1329–01, immature male 700 mm TL,
south-west of King Island, Tasmania, 40°34′ S, 143°29′
E, 480–510 m, 12 Oct 1983; CSIRO H 1331–01, female
587 mm TL, off Strahan, Tasmania, Jan 1976; CSIRO H
3579–01, female 271 mm TL, east of Disaster Bay, NewSouth Wales, 37°17′ S, 150°19′ E, 139–141 m, 30 Nov
1993; CSIRO H 3704–03, female 245 mm TL, CSIRO H
3704–04, female 223 mm TL, east of Disaster Bay, NewSouth Wales, 37°19′ S, 150°18′ E, 139–143 m, 08 Aug
1994; CSIRO H 3866–01, female 1025 mm TL, east ofGreen Cape, Tasmania, 37°12′ S, 150°20′ E, 126–135 m,
23 Nov 1994; CSIRO H 5940–01, female 632 mm TL,
west of Point Hibbs, Tasmania, 42°40′ S, 144°45′ E,
460 m, 21 Aug 2002; CSIRO T 1310, female 231 mm TL,
off Port Davey, Tasmania, 146 m, Jan 1979. Egg cases.
CSIRO T 1953, egg case, east of Maria Island, Tasmania,
80 m, 24 Sep 1979; CSIRO T 1959, two egg cases, east of
Schouten Island, Tasmania, 120 m; CSIRO H 6623–01,
egg case, south of Tasman Island, Tasmania, ca. 43° S,
ca. 148° E, 30 Oct 2002.
Other material. CSIRO C 4786, immature male
762 mm TL, east of Batemans Bay, New South Wales,
35°39′ S, 150°45′ E, 350–400 m, 30 Aug 1976; CSIROCA 3325, adult male ca. 950 mm TL, Great Australian
Bight, Western Australia, 33°17′ S, 128°23′ E, 310–
320 m, 03 Dec 1981; CSIRO H 986–01, immature male
574 mm TL, east of Maria Island, Tasmania, 42°39′ S,
148°26′ E, 460–480 m, 15 June 1984; CSIRO H 1327–
01, female 774 mm TL, west of Cape Sorell, Tasmania,
42°13′ S, 144°44′ E, 554–612 m, 06 July 1983; CSIRO
H 1337–01, juvenile male 370 mm TL, west of Kangaroo
Island, South Australia, 36°01′ S, 135°44′ E, 365–
409 m, 27 Nov 1984; CSIRO H 3588–01, adult maleca. 895 mm TL, east of Green Cape, New South Wales,
37°19′ S, 150°18′ E, 135–139 m, 18 June 1993; CSIRO
H 3850–01, juvenile male 339 mm TL, CSIRO H 3850–
02, juvenile male 336 mm TL, east of Disaster Bay, NewSouth Wales, 37°16′ S, 150°19′ E, 139–145 m, 18 Sep
1994; CSIRO H 5929–01, female ca. 938 mm TL, eastof Maria Island, Tasmania, 42°40′ S, 148°30′ E, 460 m,
23 Oct 2002.
DIAGNOSIS.— A large Cephaloscyllium with thefollowing combination of characters: head height 8.6–
13.5% TL, trunk width 16.1–23.8% TL; first dorsal-fin
origin usually forward of mid pelvic-fin base; prenarial
length 4.5–5.1% TL; preorbital snout length 1.4–1.7
times prenarial length, 2.5–3.1 in prepectoral length,
6.3–6.9 in prepelvic length; long snout-vent length,48.1–52.4% TL; nostril width 2.4–2.7% TL; wide eye–spiracle space, 1.0–1.4% TL; large pectoral fin, height
12.6–13.6% TL, posterior margin length 12.0–13.6% TL;
tall anal fin, height 3.8–4.4% TL; anal–caudal space 4.0–
5.6% SL; precaudal length 74–78% TL; interdorsal space
6.3–7.6% TL; teeth near symphysis of upper jaw with
3–5 cusps; flank denticles mainly weakly tricuspidate;no greatly enlarged denticles on back; adult clasper long,to 8.8% TL, almost reaching anal fin, interspace about
4.4 in anal-fin base; 121–126 vertebral centra; high toothcount, 90–116 teeth in each jaw; upper half of bodywith strong pattern of saddles and blotches; 9–10 dark,transverse dorsal markings on body and tail, interspaces
between them narrow; interspiracular saddle subequal toeye and spiracle length; large circular blotch over andDescriptions of new Australian chondrichthyans

149

A

B

C

D

Figure 1. Cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp. nov.: A. dorsal view, B. lateral view of holotype (CSIRO H 5314–11, adultmale 1013 mm TL); C. dorsal view, D. lateral view of juvenile paratype (CSIRO H 3579–01, female 271 mm TL).

150
above gill slits; and fins with variably developed, narrow
pale margins.
DESCRIPTION.— Body robust anteriorly, belly often
greatly expanded, tapering gradually behind first dorsal
fin. Head strongly depressed, short and very broad,
length 23.2 (21.5–23.6)%, width 17.9 (16.9–18.7)%
TL; widest just forward of 1st gill slit; broadly parabolic
in dorsoventral view, bluntly pointed in lateral view;lateral angle of suborbital shelf usually weakly defined;supraorbital crest thick; gill slits dorsolateral; last two
slits over pectoral-fin base (third gill slit over pectoralfin origin in some paratypes), slightly closer together
than slits 1–3; first three slits subequal in length, last two
decreasingly smaller (fourth gill slit only slightly smaller
than third in smallest whole paratype, CSIRO T 1310).
Snout moderately rounded to bluntly pointed, length
3.24 (2.91–3.14) in head length. Eye dorsolateral, slitlike, length 2.13 (1.77–2.33) in snout; suborbital groovewell-developed, much longer than eye; orbito-spiraculargroove usually discontinuous; interorbital width 0.89

A

B

Figure 2. Ventral view of head of Cephaloscyllium
albipinnum sp. nov.: A. holotype CSIRO H 5314–11(adult male 1013 mm TL); B. paratype CSIRO H 3866–
01 (adult female 1025 mm TL).

(0.80–0.91) of snout, 2.87 (2.33–2.70) in head length.
Spiracle very small, subcircular to suboval, well separated
from eye; dorsolateral on head, length 16.0 (14.3–21.6) ininterorbital width. Anterior nasal flap expanded laterally,
overlapping outer lobe but not reaching mouth, posterior
margin usually entire, sometimes weakly fringed;
internarial width slightly larger than nostril width. Mouth
relatively long and broad, width 2.07 (2.10–2.93) times
length; roof of mouth and tongue usually papillose; labial
furrows absent; postoral groove short, deep, straight orconcave (extending ventrolaterally from each corner ofmouth). Upper jaw teeth of adult male holotype small,recurved medially, with 3 cusps and basal grooves; firstpair of lateral cusps well-developed, sometimes withadditional 1–2 rudimentary lateral cusplets; central cusps
not greatly extended near symphysis, much longer thanlateral cusps near mouth corners; symphysial groove
deep. Lower jaw teeth in adult male holotype subequalin size to those near symphysis of upper jaw, recurved
medially; lateral cusps of posterior teeth not better
defined than those anteriorly; 6 rows or so at symphysis
greatly reduced, about a quarter size of those adjacent.
Teeth in upper jaw of largest female paratype (CSIRO H
3866–01) usually with 3 main cusps, often with 1–2 short
cusplets on each side; central cusp near symphysis only
slightly larger than lateral cusps, only slightly smaller thancentral cusp of adult male; central cusp near angle of jaw
barely longer than those laterally. Flank denticles of adultmale very small, semi-erect, usually weakly tricuspidate,apices broadly pointed; well separated, not imbricate,reasonably similar in size; crown with a well-developed
median ridge, lateral ridges short and obvious; denticlesof adult female (CSIRO H 3866–01) also similarly sized,
subequal to male holotype; crowns of female with muchbetter developed medial and lateral ridges; denticles
of smallest juvenile paratype (CSIRO T 1310) hirsute,
slender, upright, pungent, not imbricate, well separated,
those on midline of back not enlarged, similar in size
to those on sides; no greatly enlarged denticles on mid
surface of body or fins. First dorsal fin raked slightly,
apex bluntly rounded (more narrowly rounded in smaller
paratypes), posterior margin truncate (slightly convex
in smallest paratypes); much larger than second dorsal
fin; origin usually slightly to well forward of mid pelvicfin base, pre-first dorsal length 50.9 (48.3–51.8)% TL.
Second dorsal fin low, weakly subtriangular, pre-second
dorsal length 66.8 (63.6–67.2)% TL; anterior margin
almost straight, apex broadly rounded, posterior marginmoderately concave (variable in paratypes, weakly
concave to weakly convex); origin well behind analfin origin, insertion almost over anal-fin insertion. Anal
fin distinctly larger than second dorsal fin, taller, apex
broadly rounded in juvenile CSIRO T 1310 (usually morenarrowly rounded in adults). Pectoral fins moderately
large, anterior margin moderately convex, its length 15.7
(15.4–16.3)% TL; apices narrowly rounded, posterior
margin weakly concave to truncate, inner margin mostly
convex, free tip bluntly angular to narrowly rounded;anal-fin length 0.94 (0.97–1.31) times pelvic–anal space.

Descriptions of new Australian chondrichthyans

151

Table 1. Morphometric data for the holotype of Cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp. nov. (CSIRO H 5314-11), with ranges
provided for the 6 measured paratypes, and ranges provided for C. isabellum and C. laticeps. Measurements expressed
as a percentage of total length.
C. albipinnum sp. nov.
Holotype

Paratypes

C. isabellum

C. laticeps

(n=2)

(n=8)

Min.

Max.

Min. Max.

Min.

Max.

Total length (mm)

1013

590

1025

469

652

360

874

Precaudal length

77.4

74.3

77.7

76.8

79.0

76.3

78.9

Pre-second dorsal length

66.8

63.6

67.2

65.5

67.5

63.6

67.9

Pre-first dorsal length

50.9

48.3

51.8

50.7

52.3

48.9

51.2

Head length

23.2

21.5

23.6

21.2

22.3

20.6

23.0

Pre-branchial length

19.2

17.9

18.9

17.7

18.2

17.3

18.8

Pre-spiracular length

11.7

11.2

11.8

11.4

11.4

10.3

11.6

Preorbital length (horizontal)

6.2

5.6

6.4

5.6

6.2

5.0

5.9

Preorbital length (direct)

7.2

7.2

7.7

7.4

7.6

6.8

7.5

Preoral length

4.2

3.6

4.2

4.0

4.3

3.6

4.2

Prenarial length

4.7

4.5

5.1

4.7

4.7

4.4

4.7

Pre-pectoral length

21.8

19.0

22.2

19.9

20.2

18.9

21.7

Pre-pelvic length

49.1

45.9

49.2

46.0

46.8

43.8

46.7

Pre-vent length

52.1

48.1

52.4

50.7

50.9

47.2

50.2

Pre-anal length

64.9

60.8

64.2

62.7

65.4

60.9

64.9

Interdorsal space

7.6

6.3

7.6

6.8

7.6

6.7

8.7

Dorsal–caudal space

5.3

4.8

6.0

6.0

6.0

5.0

7.2

Pectoral–pelvic space

21.0

17.7

22.3

17.2

19.5

15.6

20.3

Pelvic–anal space

9.9

7.5

9.9

8.6

10.0

7.1

10.8

Anal–caudal space

4.4

4.0

5.6

5.0

5.5

4.1

5.2

Eye length

3.4

3.2

4.1

3.3

3.8

3.2

3.7

Interorbital width

8.1

8.1

9.6

8.8

9.1

7.7

9.4

Nostril width

2.5

2.4

2.7

2.5

3.1

2.3

3.1

Internarial space

3.3

3.1

3.8

3.0

3.0

2.9

3.2

Anterior nasal flap length

1.2

0.9

1.3

1.3

1.3

0.9

1.4

Spiracle length

0.5

0.4

0.6

0.8

0.8

0.4

0.9

Eye–spiracle space

1.4

1.0

1.2

0.8

1.2

0.8

1.2

Mouth length

6.3

4.7

6.2

4.7

4.8

3.8

5.1

Mouth width

13.0

11.8

14.1

10.2

11.4

10.5

12.9

First gill slit height

3.2

2.3

3.3

2.2

2.5

1.7

2.6

Fifth gill slit height

2.0

1.5

2.0

1.3

1.9

1.3

1.7

Head height

13.0

8.6

13.5

9.7

12.0

9.3

11.6

Trunk height

18.3

9.5

15.8

11.4

11.8

8.8

15.4

Caudal peduncle height

2.9

2.7

3.0

2.7

3.0

2.7

3.7

Head width

17.9

16.9

18.7

14.3

15.8

15.3

18.0

Trunk width

23.0

16.1

23.8

14.2

15.4

13.9

21.3

Caudal peduncle width

2.8

2.3

2.6

2.8

2.9

2.6

3.2

Pectoral fin - length

14.9

14.3

15.4

15.3

15.4

15.5

17.9

Pectoral fin - anterior margin

15.7

15.4

16.3

15.4

15.8

15.7

18.8

Pectoral fin - base

10.4

9.5

11.0

9.6

10.5

9.7

11.7

Pectoral fin - height

13.6

12.6

13.6

13.1

13.3

12.9

15.2

Pectoral fin - inner margin

5.3

5.3

5.8

5.7

5.9

5.5

7.0

Pectoral fin - posterior margin

13.1

12.0

13.6

12.2

13.1

12.4

14.9

152
Table 1. cont’dC. albipinnum sp. nov.
Holotype

Paratypes

C. isabellum

C. laticeps

(n=2)

(n=8)

Min.

Max.

Min. Max.

Min.

Max.

Pelvic fin - length

12.1

10.1

11.8

12.1

12.6

10.8

14.1

Pelvic fin - anterior margin

6.5

5.9

6.9

7.3

7.9

6.3

8.1

Pelvic fin - base length

7.7

6.5

8.7

8.5

8.6

7.3

10.7

Pelvic fin - height

6.5

5.0

6.5

6.0

6.2

5.4

6.8

Pelvic fin - inner margin

4.7

3.0

4.5

4.0

4.2

2.7

5.3

Pelvic fin - posterior margin

8.0

6.8

8.4

6.8

6.9

7.0

9.3

Clasper outer length

8.8

0.0

0.0

9.7

9.7

8.3

9.3

Clasper inner length

12.1

0.0

0.0

13.4

13.4

14.0

14.2

Clasper base width

2.0

0.0

0.0

2.1

2.1

2.0

2.1

First dorsal fin - length

11.2

10.5

11.8

10.4

10.6

10.7

12.1

First dorsal fin - anterior margin

11.3

10.9

12.5

10.4

10.6

10.7

12.0

First dorsal fin - base length

8.5

7.9

9.1

7.6

8.1

8.2

9.7

First dorsal fin - height

7.1

6.3

7.1

5.9

6.1

5.4

6.7

First dorsal fin - inner margin

2.5

2.2

3.0

2.6

3.2

2.2

2.8

First dorsal fin - posterior margin

6.8

5.7

6.8

5.2

5.5

5.7

7.2

Second dorsal fin - length

8.1

7.6

8.4

8.3

8.6

8.0

9.4

Second dorsal fin - anterior margin

6.2

5.4

7.1

6.4

6.8

6.3

7.8

Second dorsal fin - base length

5.2

5.0

5.8

5.6

5.8

5.5

7.0

Second dorsal fin - height

3.1

2.7

3.4

3.3

3.3

3.1

3.7

Second dorsal fin - inner margin

2.9

2.4

2.7

2.9

2.9

2.5

2.9

Second dorsal fin - posterior margin

4.0

3.1

3.8

3.4

3.7

3.3

4.6

Anal fin - length

9.3

9.3

10.4

10.0

10.1

10.1

11.5

Anal fin - anterior margin

8.3

7.3

8.5

9.0

9.3

9.2

10.1

Anal fin - base length

6.5

6.8

7.9

7.3

7.8

7.7

9.3

Anal fin - height

4.4

3.8

4.4

3.9

4.0

3.6

4.6

Anal fin - inner margin

2.9

2.4

2.8

2.5

2.8

2.4

2.9

Anal fin - posterior margin

4.8

3.9

4.9

3.5

3.8

3.2

5.0

Caudal fin - dorsal margin

22.5

22.1

25.3

21.2

23.0

20.7

23.4

Caudal fin - preventral margin

10.4

9.2

10.7

10.9

11.4

11.4

12.6

Caudal fin - lower postventral margin

3.3

2.6

3.5

2.6

3.3

2.6

3.3

Caudal fin - upper postventral margin

7.9

7.9

9.7

7.7

7.7

6.0

7.2

Caudal fin - subterminal margin

3.9

3.2

5.1

4.0

4.5

3.9

5.5

Caudal fin - terminal margin

6.0

5.7

6.6

6.5

7.0

5.6

7.8

Caudal fin - terminal lobe length

6.6

6.6

7.8

7.1

8.1

6.4

8.6

Second dorsal origin–anal origin

1.1

1.1

2.6

1.7

2.1

2.0

3.2

Second dorsal insertion–anal insertion

0.6

0.2

0.9

0.4

0.8

0.3

1.1

Pelvic fins small, length 12.1 (10.1–11.8)% TL. Claspers
cylindrical, elongate, robust, almost reaching anal-fin
origin, ventral surface covered with denticles; pelvic finsunited to dorsobasal surface of clasper, incomplete apron
joining claspers just posterior to cloaca. Caudal fin large,
with a distinct ventral lobe; terminal lobe well developed,
deep, its posterior margin truncate to moderately convex(narrow and broadly rounded in smallest paratype). Teeth

in upper jaw about 115 (90–116); in lower jaw about 109(97–110). Monospondylous vertebrae 48 (45–48 in 11
paratypes); precaudal 81 (79–82); total 126 (121–126).
EGG CASES.— Eggs cases large (98–116 mm in length,
excluding horns), smooth, glossy, without transverse
or longitudinal striations or ridges; not constricted;
somewhat flattened, height 21.2–26.7% ECL, posteriorDescriptions of new Australian chondrichthyans

153

Table 2. Morphometric data for egg cases of Cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp. nov. and C. laticeps. Measurements
expressed as a percentage of egg case length (ECL).
C. albipinnum sp. nov.

C. laticeps

n=4

n=3

Mean

Min.

Max.

Mean

Min.

Max.

Egg case length (mm)

103.7

98.2

115.9

127.1

125.7

129.8

Posterior case width

44.5

38.5

50.6

39.0

37.3

40.9

Anterior case width

32.4

28.3

37.7

25.4

24.7

26.0

Anterior border width

28.3

25.1

32.7

21.7

20.9

22.5

Posterior border width

12.3

9.6

16.5

3.9

3.1

4.7

Egg case height

23.7

21.2

26.7

23.2

21.8

24.3

width 38.5–50.6% ECL; lateral flanges extending entire
length of egg case, thick, rounded (not T-shaped).
Anterior border nearly straight, broad; anterior horns
relatively short, curved strongly inwards but not touching;tendrils long, wiry, tightly coiled. Posterior border muchnarrower, concave, width 2.0–2.6 in anterior borderwidth; posterior horns moderately long, curved strongly
inwards, overlapping; tendrils very long, wiry, highly
convoluted, tightly coiled. Egg cases, in alcohol, areuniformly pale yellowish in colour.
COLOUR.— Preserved specimens: Upper surface
and sides above level of pectoral-fin medium greyish
brown with multiple darker, greyish brown saddles
and blotches; coloration not variegated with white anddark markings; saddles not edged with paler lines or
spots. Nine to ten darker cross-markings on body andcaudal fin; a broad, weakly crescentic interspiracularA

B

Figure 3. Egg case: A. Cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp.
nov. (CSIRO H 6623–01); B. Cephaloscyllium laticeps(CSIRO T 1679–05).

saddle (greatest thickness subequal to combined eye andspiracle length); suborbital bar similar in colour, disjunctfrom interspiracular saddle, expanded ventrally (widthat edge of head greater than interspiracular saddle);
four additional, large predorsal markings on midline,
weakly separated from each other and sometimes partly
coalesced in large adults; first blotch on midline usuallylargest, centred over gill slits and anterior pectoral fin;second blotch on midline mostly over inner margin of
pectoral fin and extending posteriorly; third blotch on
midline before dorsal-fin origin; broad saddle situatedbetween second and third blotches, sometimes connected
to second blotch; enlarged lateral blotch over posteriorbase of pectoral fin, sometimes connected to first andsecond medial blotches at their basal extremities; enlarged
blotch over gill slits, delineated ventrally by paler ventral
coloration, extending well above dorsal extremities ofgill slits to above eye level; two diffuse-edged blotcheson sides, at mid belly and above pelvic-fin origin. Twoto three saddles in region of dorsal fins; broad saddles
below each dorsal fin, their width subequal to fin bases;
sometimes with an additional interdorsal saddle, its origin
near insertion of first dorsal fin; saddles penetrating onto
bases of dorsal fins, more extreme in second dorsal fin
than first. Caudal fin with two well-developed bars;
first bar originating just behind origin of dorsal lobe;
posterior bar inserted just anterior to insertion of ventral
caudal lobe, extending further ventrally than anterior bar;indistinct dark terminal marking on terminal lobe. All finswith variably developed narrow pale margins, usuallymost pronounced on posterior upper margin of pectoralfin, lower lobe of caudal fin, and posterior margins ofpelvic and anal fins; usually thinner but well pronounced
on dorsal-fin margins of juveniles. Pectoral and pelvicfin dorsal surfaces and anal fin similar to dorsal surface
of body, becoming slightly darker away from fin base;ventral surface of pectoral and pelvic fins paler thandorsal surface, sometimes with a darker posterior region.
Ventral surface of body dark in adults, slightly paler thandorsal surface (sometimes with light and dark blotches;juveniles distinctly paler, often almost white). Claspers
mostly whitish, with some greyish areas; mouth mostly

154

A

B

C

D

Figure 4. Cephaloscyllium laticeps: A. dorsal view, B. lateral view of adult (CSIRO H 1264–13, adult female 820 mm
TL); C. dorsal view, D. lateral view of juvenile (CSIRO H 5926–01, juvenile male 370 mm TL).

Descriptions of new Australian chondrichthyans

155

A

B

Figure 5. Dorsal view of: A. Cephaloscyllium isabellum (NMNZ P 5454, adult male 652 mm TL); B. Cephaloscyllium
umbratile (CSIRO H 6295–22, immature male 330 mm TL).

pale, occasionally with enlarged black blotches. Colour
pattern of small juveniles (CSIRO T 1310 and CSIRO
H 3579–01) almost symmetric, more regular and better
defined than in adults.
SIZE.— Material examined ranges from 198–1025 mm
TL for females and 336–1013 mm TL for males. Smallest
adult male ca. 895 mm TL and largest immature male
762 mm TL.
DISTRIBUTION.— Known from the outer continental
shelf and upper continental slope of southeastern
Australia from off Batemans Bay, New South Wales(35°39′ S, 150°45′ E) westward to the Great Australian
Bight, Western Australia (33°17′ S, 128°23′ E), including
Tasmania south to at least Maria Island (42°40′ S, 148°25′
E) on the east coast and Point Hibbs off the west coast(42°40′ S, 144°45′ E), at depths of 126–554 m.
ETYMOLOGY.— Derived from the combinationof the Latin albi (white) and pinna (fin) in allusion to
the distinctive white fin margins. Vernacular: Whitefin
Swellshark.
REMARKS.— Cephaloscyllium albipinnum differs
markedly from other nominal Australian species of thegenus Cephaloscyllium in colour pattern. Unlike new

species treated earlier in this series (Last et al., 2008),
C. speccum Last, Séret & White, 2008 and C. signourum
Last, Séret & White, 2008, which both have a strongly
variegated pattern, C. albipinnum has a strong patternof plain dark blotches and saddles. Cephaloscyllium
cooki, a small member of the genus attaining only about
300 mm TL, also has saddle-like markings but these arewhite edged. Another dwarf species, C. fasciatum, hasfine, dark, linear markings. Cephaloscyllium albipinnum,
and a parapatric congener C. laticeps, are the two largest
Australian species, both attaining 1 m or more in length.
However, the coloration of C. laticeps is more strongly
variegated, denticles on the juveniles are larger, andits egg cases have well-developed transverse ridges(otherwise with smooth surfaces). The genetic barcodeof C. albipinnum differs from those species that havebeen analysed, i.e. C. fasciatum, C. laticeps, C. pictum,
C. speccum and C. sp. C (Ward et al., submitted).
A New Zealand species, C. isabellum, and a western
North Pacific species, C. umbratile, also have very
different colour patterns to C. albipinnum (see Fig. 5).
Cephaloscyllium isabellum has less extensive subdorsal
saddle-like markings and the interspiracular saddle
terminating in a broad narrow bar with a lateral extension
above and behind the gill slits. These saddle-like markings
are much less well defined and narrower than in juveniles

156
and adults of C. albipinnum. Juveniles of C. isabellum
have larger and more widely spaced denticles on the backand males mature at a smaller size (650 mm vs. >850 mm
TL in C. albipinnum). The juveniles of C. umbratile have
3 primary predorsal saddles (vs. 4–5 in C. albipinnum)
that are weakly demarcated from their pale interspaces
by lighter borders (vs. not demarcated), no distinct blotch
over the gill slits (vs. present), and denser denticles.
Comparative material.
Cephaloscyllium isabellum: 4 specimens. NMNZ P
5454, adult male 652 mm TL, north of D’Urville Island,
New Zealand, 40°24′ S, 174°26′ E, 110 m, 12 May 1971;
NMNZ P 20971, female 240 mm TL, east of Chatham
Islands, New Zealand, 43°27′ S, 176°27′ E, 140–155 m, 26
May 1987; NMNZ P 20978, immature male 259 mm TL,
east of Chatham Islands, New Zealand, 43°38′ S, 175°51′
E, 234–245 m, 25 May 1987; NMNZ P 20991, female
469 mm TL, east of Chatham Islands, New Zealand,
43°39′ S, 175°53′ E, 220–248m, 24 May 1987.
Cephaloscyllium laticeps: 16 specimens. CSIRO
CA 4501, female 564 mm TL, Australia; CSIRO H
1264–12, adult male 796 mm TL, CSIRO H 1264–13,
pregnant female 820 mm TL, north of Maria Island,
Tasmania, 42°33′ S, 148°15′ E, 81–82 m, 07 Apr 1988;
CSIRO H 1330–01, adult male 806 mm TL, west ofCape Grim, Tasmania, 40°47′ S, 144°16′ E, 93 m, 21
Feb 1979; CSIRO H 1332–01, female 368 mm TL,
Tasmania; CSIRO H 1333–01, immature male 360
mm TL, east coast of Tasmania, 20 June 1978; CSIRO
H 1334–01, female 293 mm TL, Frederick Henry Bay,
Tasmania, 42°54′ S, 147°36′ E, 14 m, 21 July 1983;
CSIRO H 1339–01, immature male 305 mm TL, westof Tasman Island, Tasmania, 43°17′ S, 147°50′ E, 101–
121 m, 02 Dec 1983; CSIRO H 2341–01, female
473 mm TL, Bathurst Harbour entrance, Tasmania, Oct
1988; CSIRO H 2649–01, female 422 mm TL, north ofMaria Island, Tasmania, 42°32′ S, 148°12′ E, 530 m, 13
July 1990; CSIRO H 3547–01, adult male 874 mm TL,
east of Lakes Entrance, Victoria, 37°56′ S, 148°12′ E,
42 m, 30 July 1993; CSIRO H 3574–01, female
422 mm TL, Bass Strait, Victoria, 38°36′ S, 148°22′ E, 106–118 m, 28 July 1993; CSIRO H 3850–05, immature male
546 mm TL, east of Disaster Bay, New South Wales,
37°16′ S, 150°19′ E, 139–145 m, 18 Sep 1994; CSIRO
H 5926–01, immature male 370 mm TL, North Bruny
Island, Tasmania, 43°03′ S, 147°22′ E, 21 m, 25 Sep
2002; CSIRO T 1701–01, female 198 mm TL, southern
Tasmania, 02 Feb 1980; SAMA A 1761, immature male
195 mm TL, out of Anxious Bay, South Australia, 27
Feb 1981. Egg cases. CSIRO T 1425, 2 egg cases, Bruny
Island, Tasmania, ca. 43°17′ S, 147°18′ E, 15 m, 17
Aug 1983; CSIRO T 1679–05, egg case, off Triabunna,
Tasmania, ca. 42°30’ S, 148° E, 15 Feb 1981; CSIRO T
1960, egg case, off Tamar River mouth, Tasmania.
Cephaloscyllium umbratile: 3 specimens. CSIRO H
6295–22, immature male 330 mm TL, Tashi fish market,
Taiwan, 24 May 2005; CSIRO H 5611–04, immature male
205 mm TL, CSIRO H 5611–08, immature male 300 mm

TL, Tashi fish market, Taiwan, 01 Aug 2000.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research project was supported by the Wealth from
Oceans (WFO) Flagship. The new species was first
identified in a study of the Australian chondrichthyan
fauna (Last & Stevens, 1994), funded by the Fisheries
Research Development Corporation (FRDC). Sincere
thanks go to John Stevens (CSIRO) for his pioneering
work on Australian sharks and rays, Alastair Graham(CSIRO) for assembling data on Australian materials,
John Pogonoski (CSIRO) for editorial comments andassisting with radiographs, Andrew Stewart (NMNZ)
for providing specimens and data for New Zealandspecimens, Louise Conboy and Thor Carter (CSIRO)
for photographing specimens, Bob Ward and Bronwyn
Holmes (CSIRO) for their continuing support on thegenetic barcoding of Australian fishes, and Tim Fountain(CSIRO) for preparing radiographs and obtaining
meristic information. Thanks also go to Ken Graham(NSW Fisheries), David Ebert (Moss Landing Marine
Laboratories, U.S.A.) and George Burgess (Florida
Museum of Natural History, U.S.A.) for collection ofmaterial. Most material of the new species was collectedby the FRV Courageous, FRV Soela and FRV Southern
Surveyor during surveys off southeastern Australia. We
thank all scientific participants and crew of these voyages
for their assistance.
REFERENCES
Barratt, P.J. & Kyne, P.M. (2003) Cephaloscyllium
sp. nov. A. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. (downloaded
on 14 August 2007).
Bonnaterre, J.P. (1788) Tableau encyclopédique etméthodique des trios règnes de la nature. Ichthyologie.
Paris, 215 pp.
Compagno, L.J.V. (1984) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol.
4, Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated
catalogue of shark species known to date. FAO Fisheries
Synopsis No. 125. vol. 4, pt. 2 (Carcharhiniformes), pp.
x, 251–655.
Compagno, L.J.V. (2001) Sharks of the World: anannotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species
known to date. Volume 2. Bullhead, mackerel andcarpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes andOrectolobiformes). FAO, Rome, 269 pp.
Compagno, L.J.V., Dando, M. & Fowler, S. (2005) A
Field Guide to Sharks of the World. Harper Collins
Publishing Ltd., London, 368 pp.

Descriptions of new Australian chondrichthyans
Duméril, A.H.A. (1853) Monographie de la tribu
des Scylliens ou Roussettes (poissons plagiostomes)
comprenant deux espèces nouvelles. Revue et Magasin
de Zoologie, Series 2 5: 8–25; 73–87; 119–130.
Ebert, D.A., Compagno, L.J.V. & Cowley, P.D. (2006)
Reproductive biology of catsharks (Chondrichthyes:
Scyliorhinidae) off the west coast of southern Africa.
ICES Journal of Marine Science 63: 1053–1065.

157
Last, P.R., Séret, B. & White, W.T. (2008) New
swellsharks (Cephaloscyllium: Scyliorhinidae) fromthe Indo-Australian region, pp. 129–146. In: P.R. Last,
W.T. White & J.J. Pogonoski (eds). Descriptions of
new Australian Chondrichthyans. CSIRO Marine &Atmospheric Research Paper 022, 358 pp.
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. (1994) Sharks and Rays ofAustralia. CSIRO, Australia, 513 pp.

Gomon, M.F., Glover, J.C.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (1994) The
Fishes of Australia’s South Coast. State Print, Adelaide,
992 pp.

May, J.L. & Maxwell, J.G.H. (1986) Field Guide to
Trawl Fish from Temperate Waters of Australia. Revised
Edition. CSIRO, Melbourne, 492 pp.

Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. (2006)
Fishes. In: P.L. Beesley & A. Wells (eds) Zoological
Catalogue of Australia Volume 35. Parts 1–3. Australian
Biological Resources Study and CSIRO Publishing,2248 pp.

Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E.
(1989) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 7. Pisces,
Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Australian Government
Publishing Service, Canberra, 665 pp.

Jordan, D.S. & Fowler, H.W. (1903) A review of theelasmobranchiate fishes of Japan. Proceedings of theUnited States National Museum 26: 593–674.
Last, P.R. & Harris, J.G.K. (1981) New locality records
and preliminary information on demersal fish faunalassemblages in Tasmanian waters. The Papers andProceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 115: 189–
209.

Ward, R.D., Holmes, B.H., White, W.T. & Last, P.R.
(2008) DNA barcoding the chondrichthyans ofAustralasia. Marine and Freshwater Research, 59: 57–
71.
Whitley, G.P. (1932) Studies in ichthyology. No. 6.
Records of the Australian Museum 18: 321–348.