Habitat
Sandy and muddy bottoms, 10–400 m. Abundant around the Rock.
All species
Small Spotted Catshark
Scyliorhinus canicula
Not aggressive
The most commonly seen shark on Gibraltar's reefs — small, slender and harmless.
Maximum size
0.8–0.9 m
Aggressiveness
Not aggressive
Ecology
Lays paired egg cases on seaweed and sponges.
Feeding
Crustaceans, molluscs, polychaete worms and small fish.
Behaviour
Nocturnal; often found resting in groups in caves by day.
Safety notes
Harmless. Often handled by researchers without incident.
Conservation status
IUCN: Least Concern.
Sources & Citations
Data compiled from peer-reviewed and authoritative open sources. Last reviewed 2026.
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Conservation status for each species.
- The Shark Trust — Species Database
Biology, ecology and identification.
- FishBase
Maximum sizes, distribution and life-history data.
- Florida Museum — International Shark Attack File
Documented species behaviour around humans.
- Nature Gibraltar / Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society
Local marine fauna records around the Strait.