Apristurus drona (Deep-Sea Catshark)

Basic Details

Scientific name: Apristurus drona.
Family/Classification: Pentanchidae; genus Apristurus, a species-rich group of small deepwater catsharks.
Habitat/Distribution: Deep waters (400–650 m) of the Kollam slope and Wadge Bank, southeastern Arabian Sea, off Kerala.
Conservation status: Data Deficient — abundance, distribution, and biology remain unstudied.

Physical Appearance: A black, slender-bodied fish with an angular, pointed snout and striking white eyes.
Genetic Distinction: Differs from its closest relative, Apristurus nayakai of the southwestern Pacific, by 5.5–5.7% genetically — well above the roughly 3% threshold typically used to define a new species.
No Commercial Value: Rarely encountered in bycatch and holds no commercial value; when caught, it is generally used as fish meal.

First Regional Record: The first species of the genus Apristurus described from India's southwest coast.
Deep-Sea Biodiversity Gap: Highlights how incompletely India's deep-sea ecosystems are documented, especially as fishing operations move into deeper waters.
Research Context: Discovered under the Ministry of Earth Sciences' Deep Ocean Mission, which studies India's deep-sea shark, ray, and chimaera diversity.