Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810)

Smalltooth sandtiger (Figure 2)

Squalus ferox Risso, 1810 (Ichthyol. Nice, Paris: 38; type locality: off Nice, France, in the Mediterranean Sea).

Material examined. (2 specimens). EBFS020203010201-1,> 300 cm TL, mature female, Da-xi, April 2004; this individual was bought by a fish buyer after landing but the jaws were kept for research. EBFS020203010201- 2, 100.9 cm TL, neonatal female, abdomen scar present, Da-xi, June 2004.

Diagnosis. Body fusiform, moderately stout; medium grey in young, darker grey-brown in adult, lighter below, with darker dusky spots on sides of some individuals; fins dusky with blackish edges in young but uniform dusky in adults, first dorsal fin without a white blotch; caudal peduncle without keels. Pectoral fins angular. First dorsal apex subangular in adults. Anal fin height 4.6 to 6.0% of total length. Anal fin with strongly concave posterior margin. Caudal fin with ventral caudal lobe short but stout. Teeth similar in both jaws; two to five (mostly four) rows of small intermediate teeth between upper anterior and lateral tooth rows; a pair of upper and a pair of lower symphysial teeth present; tooth rows numerous, 48 to 56/36 to 46 (88 to 102 total); root lobes of anterolateral teeth deeply arched and narrow; anterolateral teeth usually with 2 or 3 pairs of lateral cusplets.

Distribution. Circumglobal, but patchily distributed. Western Pacific records in addition to the new record for Taiwan includes southern Japan, New South Wales Australia, and New Zealand.