title: Bythaelurus
text: # Bythaelurus
  
  Bythaelurus is a genus of deep-water catsharks and part of the family Scyliorhinidae. The genus Bythaelurus Compagno 1988 was first described as a subgenus of Halaelurus Gill 1862 based on several morphological characteristics including a soft body with thin skin, a bluntly rounded snout without a pointed, knob-like tip, and eyes not noticeably elevated on the dorsal surface of the head. Members of this genus are generally found in deep water and have more somber body coloration.
  
  ## Species
  
  There are currently 14 recognized species in this genus:
  
  * Bythaelurus alcockii (Garman, 1913) (Arabian catshark)
  * Bythaelurus bachi Weigmann et al., 2016 (Bach's catshark)
  * Bythaelurus canescens (Günther, 1878) (dusky catshark)
  * Bythaelurus clevai (Séret, 1987) (broadhead catshark)
  * Bythaelurus dawsoni (S. Springer, 1971) (New Zealand catshark)
  * Bythaelurus giddingsi J. E. McCosker, Long & C. C. Baldwin, 2012 (Galápagos catshark)
  * Bythaelurus hispidus (Alcock, 1891) (bristly catshark)
  * Bythaelurus immaculatus (Y. T. Chu & Q. W. Meng, 1982) (spotless catshark)
  * Bythaelurus incanus Last & J. D. Stevens, 2008 (sombre catshark)
  * Bythaelurus lutarius (S. Springer & D'Aubrey, 1972) (mud catshark)
  * Bythaelurus naylori Ebert & Clerkin, 2015 (dusky snout catshark)
  * Bythaelurus stewarti Weigmann, Kaschner, and Thiel, 2018 (Error Seamount catshark)
  * Bythaelurus tenuicephalus Kaschner, Weigmann & Thiel, 2015 (narrowhead catshark)
  * Bythaelurus vivaldii Weigmann & Kaschner, 2017 (Vivaldi's catshark)
  