Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Carcharhiniformes
- Family
- Centrophoridae
- Genus
- Cirrhigaleus
- Species
- barbifer
Habitat
This species inhabits deep waters on the continental slopes, typically at depths of 200-500 meters in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It prefers areas with soft substrates like mud or sand, and is found around islands and continental margins such as Indonesia, Japan, and Australia.
Diet
The Mandarin dogfish primarily feeds on bony fishes, squid, and crustaceans found on the seafloor. It is a benthic predator that likely hunts at night using its barbels to detect prey in low-light conditions. Feeding behavior involves ambushing or scavenging along the ocean bottom.
Behavior
The Mandarin dogfish is generally solitary and nocturnal, spending most of its time near the seafloor. It exhibits territorial behavior in deeper waters and may undertake vertical migrations to follow prey. Little is known about its social structure, but it avoids surface waters.
Conservation Status
Listed as Data Deficient by IUCN.