Angel shark is any of a group of sharks that looks like a cross between a shark and a ray. Angel sharks have a flattened body with large pectoral fins (fins behind the gill openings) that it uses to steer through the water. There are about 20 species (kinds) of angel sharks, ranging in size from about 2 feet (0.6 meters) to about 8 feet (2.4 meters) long.
Angel sharks are grayish or yellowish brown in color, with light and dark spots on the back. This coloration helps camouflage the shark to help it blend in with its ocean floor habitat.
Angel sharks are found in oceans throughout the world. They inhabit tropical and temperate waters, from shallow water down to depths of 1650 feet (500 meters) or more. Angel sharks are nocturnal (active at night). To catch prey, they bury themselves in the sand, with only their eyes peeking out. Their eyes are located on the top of their head, and whiskerlike barbels near their mouth are used to detect potential food. Angel sharks eat fish and such invertebrates (animals without a backbone) as clams, crustaceans, and squid. They are not typically dangerous to humans, but have been known to bite if disturbed, tormented, or provoked.
One well-studied species of angel shark is suitably called the angelshark. Historically, this species lived in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, the Black Sea, and Mediterranean Sea. The angelshark is one of the larger angel sharks. It may reach 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) long as adults. Angelsharks are ovoviviparous. The female protects the eggs within her body until they hatch. The young of ovoviviparous sharks are born alive. An angelshark litter may contain up to 25 pups.
Many angel shark species are endangered. Historically, angelsharks were captured for food. Today, they are threatened primarily by trawl fishing. During trawl fishing, weighted nets are dragged across the ocean floor, taking all bottom-dwelling animals carelessly. Angelsharks are not usually a specific target of this fishing, but are caught as bycatch. Bycatch includes fish and other marine animals that are inadvertently captured along with target fish species. Today, angelsharks are no longer found in many areas they used to inhabit, and they are only rarely found in others. Following the steep decline in angelshark numbers, this species is now protected in much of its former range. However, they still face an immediate threat of extinction.
