The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™

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IUCN 2008: T197087A22515424
Scope: Global
Language: English

Squatina dumeril, Atlantic Angelshark

Assessment by: Baremore, I.

View on www.iucnredlist.org

Citation: Baremore, I. 2019. Squatina dumeril. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019:
e.T197087A22515424. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T197087A22515424.en

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Taxonomy
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family

Animalia Chordata Chondrichthyes Squatiniformes Squatinidae

Taxon Name:  Squatina dumeril Lesueur, 1818

Synonym(s):
• Squatina heteroptera Castro-Aguirre, Peréz & Campos, 2007
• Squatina mexicana Castro-Aguirre, Peréz & Campos, 2007

Common Name(s):
• English: Atlantic Angelshark, Sand Devil
• French: Ange de mer de sable
• Spanish: Tiburon Angel
Taxonomic Source(s):
Acero P., Tavera, A.J.J., Anguila, R. and Hernández, L. 2016. A new southern Caribbean species of angel
shark (Chondrichthyes, Squaliformes, Squatinidae), including phylogeny and tempo of diversification of
American species. Copeia 104(2): 577-585.

Taxonomic Notes:
The species that has previously been referred to as Squatina dumeril in the southern Caribbean has
recently been described as Squatina david by Acero em style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);
font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">et al. (2016).

Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published: 2019

Date Assessed: June 23, 2017

Justification:
The Atlantic Angelshark (Squatina dumeril) is a medium-sized (to 152 cm total length) benthic coastal,
shelf and slope species that inhabits soft bottoms to 1,290 m depth from Massachusetts to Florida
(U.S.A.), the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mexican Caribbean coast. It gives birth to 4-25 pups every 2-3
years. The species may be threatened by being caught as bycatch in demersal trawl fisheries and in
gillnets. The species is protected throughout U.S. waters and is thus typically discarded alive at sea
(although post-release mortality is unknown). It may be landed whole for human consumption in the
Caribbean portion of its range. Data including trawl surveys and genetic analyses from the Gulf of
Mexico indicate that populations are either growing or stable and have not been overfished. Given the
available population data and the presence of protection for the species over a large portion of its
range, the Atlantic Angelshark is listed as Least Concern. Population monitoring is needed especially in
the southern portion of the species' range, as is further research into levels of bycatch and post-release
mortality to ensure appropriate assessment of this species in the future.

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Squatina dumeril – published in 2019. 1
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Geographic Range
Range Description:
The Atlantic Angelshark (Squatina dumeril) is found along the Atlantic coast of the United States from
southern New England to Florida (Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, south to the Florida Keys) and the Gulf of Mexico (Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and the Mexican coast). It is reported but unconfirmed from
Cuba, Nicaragua, and Jamaica (Castro 2010, Ebert et al. 2013). Previous reports of this species from
Venezuela are now considered to be David's Angelshark (Acero et al. 2016).

Country Occurrence:
Native: Mexico (Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Yucatán); United States
(Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas,
Virginia)

FAO Marine Fishing Areas:

Native: Atlantic - northwest, Atlantic - western central

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Squatina dumeril – published in 2019. 2
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Distribution Map
Squatina dumeril

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Squatina dumeril – published in 2019. 3
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Population
Genetic analysis identified the possibility of two historic lineages, with a potential barrier to gene flow
between the western and the eastern Gulf of Mexico; however, low nucleotide diversity and weak stock
structure supports a single genetic stock in U.S. waters (McMillan 2009). Coalescence analysis using
mtDNA from Atlantic Angelsharks in the Gulf of Mexico and western North Atlantic Ocean indicated that
the female population size was around 305,339 individuals (McMillan 2009). However, the author noted
that this estimate should be viewed with caution due to assumptions in the model. Overall, the
combined Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico population of Atlantic Angelsharks appears to still be in a period
of demographic expansion.

Shepherd and Meyers (2005) indicated that the population size in the northern Gulf of Mexico had
increased by 6 times their abundance since the 1970s, though this estimate was based on just 29
individuals captured in demersal longline and shrimp trawl surveys over 15 years. Being ambush
predators, angel sharks are not typically susceptible to longline, and the shrimp trawl survey did not
occur in deep waters; therefore, the reported increase should be viewed with an abundance of caution.
Capture data from the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) deep-sea
groundfish (n=450) and pelagic trawl surveys (n=929) in the northern Gulf of Mexico showed that
average lengths were stable from 1988-2014 (W. Driggers, unpubl. data 2017). Length-frequencies were
strongly bimodal, with segregation of sizes between the eastern and western Gulf of Mexico (Baremore
et al. 2009). These data indicate that bycatch mortality has not affected the size structure of Atlantic
Angelsharks in the northern Gulf of Mexico and growth overfishing was not occurring. Catch rates from
these surveys likewise did not show any obvious trends and are indicative of a stable population in the
region.

Landings data from NOAA’s General Canvass Data in the Accumulated Landings System (ALS) show that
the majority of Atlantic Angelsharks were captured by otter trawl in the U.S. Western North Atlantic,
but in very low numbers that have been decreasing since 2005 (NMFS 2016). However, because the
species is prohibited in U.S. waters, these data likely do not reflect true bycatch of the species in all
fisheries and only reflect accidental landings.
Current Population Trend:  Increasing

Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)

Atlantic Angelsharks are typically found on or near the bottom from close inshore down to depths of
1,290 m, however, most records are from 40 to 250 m (Ebert et al. 2013). This species is found
seasonally in shallower water, possibly during parturition. Off the eastern U.S., it appears to move
inshore in the spring and summer, and disappears, apparently into deeper water, in other seasons.

In the Gulf of Mexico, size at 50% maturity is 85.8 and 92.9 cm total length (TL) for females and males,
respectively (Baremore 2010). Reproductive mode is lecithotrophic viviparous with only the left ovary
functional. Pupping occurs from February through June with pups measuring 25-30 cm TL at birth
(Baremore 2010). Litters contain up to 10 pups, with an average of 7.4 (± 2.0 SD). On the U.S. east coast,
litter sizes from 4-25 have been reported (Ebert et al. 2013).

Attempts to age Atlantic Angelsharks have been unsuccessful, as vertebrae are poorly calcified and

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Squatina dumeril – published in 2019. 4
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growth bands do not produce realistic ages (Baremore et al. 2009). A length-based Bayesian age and
growth model (Siegfried and Sansó 2006) likewise failed to converge, likely due to the bimodal size
distribution of the length-frequency data (Baremore et al. 2009). This species may have a generation
length similar to that of the related S. guggenheim at 8.25 years (Vieira 1996).

Systems:  Marine

Use and Trade

Landings of angel sharks are prohibited in US waters.

Threats (see Appendix for additional information)

The Atlantic Angelshark is caught as accidental bycatch in trawl fisheries. In the Gulf of Mexico, this
species occurs with relative frequency as bycatch in trawl fisheries targeting butterfish in the
Gulf of Mexico and other demersal trawls in the U.S. North Atlantic Ocean (Baremore et al. 2008,
Baremore et al. 2010, McMillan 2009) and it is possible they occur as bycatch in other fisheries. Note
that this species is often found in deeper waters where shrimp trawling effort is low. However, the
general trend for fisheries to expand into deeper waters as coastal waters become fully to over-
exploited means that potential future fishing mortality is a major threat.

Most fishing operations in the southern (Mexican) Gulf of Mexico are shallow, artisanal fisheries and
therefore unlikely to impact angel sharks to a great degree. Further information is required on the
interaction of this species with fisheries and potential impact of fishing activities on the population
given that large declines in other Squatina spp. have been documented where trawling activity is
intensive. Conservative life history characteristics could make the species susceptible to over-
exploitation.

Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)

In Atlantic US waters, angel sharks are currently listed as prohibited under the Federal Management
Plan for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish and Sharks as a precautionary management measure.

Credits
Assessor(s): Baremore, I.

Reviewer(s): Kyne, P.M. & Pollom, R.

Contributor(s): Heupel, M.R. & Carlson, J.

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Squatina dumeril – published in 2019. 5
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Bibliography
Baremore, I.E. 2010. Reproductive aspects of the Atlantic angel shark Squatina dumeril. Journal of Fish
Biology 76(7): 1682-1695.

Baremore, I.E., Andrews, K.I. and Hale, L.F. 2009. Difficulties associated with modeling growth in the
Atlantic angel shark (Squatina dumeril). Fisheries Research 99(3): 203-209.

Baremore, I.E., Murie, D.J. and Carlson, J.K. 2008. Prey Selection by the Atlantic Angel Shark Squatina
dumeril in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Bulletin of Marine Science 82(3): 297-313.

Baremore, I.E., Murie, D.J. and Carlson, J.K. 2010. Seasonal and size-related differences in diet of the
Atlantic angel shark Squatina dumeril in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Aquatic Biology 8(2): 125-136.

Castro, J.I. 2011. The Sharks of North America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Compagno, L.J.V. In prep. a. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the shark
species known to date. Volume 1. (Hexanchiformes, Squaliformes, Squatiniformes and
Pristiophoriformes). FAO Species Catalogue for Fisheries Purposes No. 1, Vol.1. FAO, Rome.

Ebert, D.A., Fowler, S. and Compagno, L. 2013. Sharks of the World. A Fully Illustrated Guide. Wild Nature
Press, Plymouth, United Kingdom.

IUCN. 2019. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2019-1. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org.
(Accessed: 21 March 2019).

NMFS (NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service). 2016. Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE)
Report for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species. NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring,
Maryland, USA.

Shepherd, T.D. and Myers, R.A. 2005. Direct and indirect fishery effects on small coastal elasmobranchs
in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Ecology Letters 8: 1095-1104.

Siegfried, K.I. and Sansó, B. 2006. Two Bayesian methods for estimating parameters of the von
Bertalanffy growth equation. Environmental Biology of Fishes 77(3-4): 301-308.

Vieira, C.E.B. 1996. Dinâmica populacional e avaliação de estoques de cações-anjo Squatina guggenheim
Marini 1936 e S. occulta Vooren & Silva 1991 na plataforma continental do sul do Brasil. Fundação
Universidade do Rio Grande.

Citation
Baremore, I. 2019. Squatina dumeril. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019:
e.T197087A22515424. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T197087A22515424.en

Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.

External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Squatina dumeril – published in 2019. 6
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 Appendix

Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Major
Habitat Season Suitability
Importance?

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.4. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy Seasonal Suitable -
occurren
ce
unknown

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.5. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud Seasonal Suitable -
occurren
ce
unknown

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.6. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Muddy Seasonal Suitable -
occurren
ce
unknown

11. Marine Deep Benthic -> 11.1. Marine Deep Benthic - Continental Seasonal Suitable -
Slope/Bathyl Zone (200-4,000m) -> 11.1.2. Soft Substrate occurren
ce
unknown

Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Threat Timing Scope Severity Impact Score

5. Biological resource use -> 5.4. Fishing & harvesting Ongoing Majority (50- No decline Low impact: 5
aquatic resources -> 5.4.4. Unintentional effects: 90%)

(large scale) [harvest]

Stresses: 2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality

Conservation Actions in Place

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Conservation Actions in Place

In-Place Research, Monitoring and Planning

Action Recovery plan: No

Systematic monitoring scheme: No

In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management

Conservation sites identified: No

Occur in at least one PA: Unknown

Area based regional management plan: Unknown

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 Conservation Actions in Place
Invasive species control or prevention: Not Applicable

In-Place Species Management

Harvest management plan: Yes

Successfully reintroduced or introduced beningly: No

Subject to ex-situ conservation: No

In-Place Education

Subject to recent education and awareness programmes: No

Included in international legislation: No

Subject to any international management/trade controls: No

Research Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Research Needed
1. Research -> 1.2. Population size, distribution & trends

1. Research -> 1.3. Life history & ecology

1. Research -> 1.5. Threats

3. Monitoring -> 3.1. Population trends

3. Monitoring -> 3.2. Harvest level trends

Additional Data Fields

Distribution
Continuing decline in area of occupancy (AOO): Unknown

Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO): Unknown

Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO): Unknown

Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence (EOO): Unknown

Continuing decline in number of locations: Unknown

Extreme fluctuations in the number of locations: Unknown

Lower depth limit (m): 1290

Upper depth limit (m): 0

Population
Extreme fluctuations: Unknown

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 Habitats and Ecology
Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat: No

Generation Length (years): 8.25

Movement patterns: Unknown

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The IUCN Red List Partnership

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership.

The IUCN Red List Partners are: Arizona State University; BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens
Conservation International; Conservation International; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew;
Sapienza University of Rome; Texas A&M University; and Zoological Society of London.

THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™