Pacific Angel Shark: Squatina californica By: Maritza Prado & Alexis Jackson

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes Order: Squatiniformes Family: Squatinidae Genus: Squatina Species: S. Dumeril

Size & Length The various species of Angelsharks range in size up to 6.5 feet (2 m) long. The Pacific Angelshark is up to 5 feet (1.5 m) long.

Location: Found on the Eastern coast of North America and South America. Commonly found in southern California

Facts: The Pacific angelshark is a sluggish and inactive species that buries itself in sand or mud, and is also found around rocks, heads of submarine canyons, and sometimes near kelp forests They are ovoviviparous, meaning that the eggs will remain inside the body until they hatch or about to hatch

Preys upon: Fish, crustaceans, and other types of mollusks. They prey upon these by jumping up out of the sand and snatching up their prey.

Human impact: In 1978, a fish processor in Santa Barbara, California, began to promote angel sharks, and 310 metric tons were taken off California in 1984. The fishery devastated the population and is now regulated.