Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Heterodontus quoyi (Fréminville, 1840)

tiburón gato, Galápagos bullhead shark

Shades of gray to brown;white underside.Blunt, rectangular head. Maximum length of 59 cm TL

Habitat: Predominantely on rocky substrate and on sandy areas from coastal shallow waters to depths of 20m

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Chordata

Class
Elasmobranchii

Order
Heterodontiformes

Family
Heterodontidae

Genus
Heterodontus

Species
quoyi

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Cestracion pantherinus Valenciennes, 1846, Cestracion quoyi Fréminville, 1840 (basionym), Gyropleurodus peruanus Evermann & Radcliffe, 1917, fide Appeltans et al. (2010)

Origin: Native

Status

Least concern

Distribution

Distribution: Eastern Pacific,. Southern Chile to Peru. Ecuador in the Galápagos Islands

References

  • Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
  • Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.
  • Edgar, G.J. Fariña, J.M., Calvopiña, M., Martínez, C. & Banks, S. (2002) Comunidades submareales rocosas II: Peces y macroinvertebrados móviles. In: Danulat, E. & Edgar, G.J. (eds.) (2002): Reserva Marina de Galápagos. Línea Base de la Biodiversidad. Fundación Charles Darwin/Servicio Parque Nacional Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador, p. 68-97.
  • Froese, R. Pauly, D. (eds.) (2010) FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org
  • Grove, J.S. Lavenberg, R.J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. 862 pp.
  • Grove, J.S. Long, D.J., Robertson, D.R. & Victor, B.C. (2022) List of Fishes of the Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, 39, 14–22.
  • Hickin, N. (1979) Animal life of the Galapagos. Ferundune Books, Faringdon, U.K., 236 pp.
  • Humann, P. Deloach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification - Galapagos. New World Publication, Inc. Florida USA & Libri Mundi, Quito, Ecuador, 226 pp.
  • IUCN (2024) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-1. Https://www.iucnredlist.org
  • IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 April 2010.
  • Kyne, P.M. Rivera, F. & Leandro, L. (2004) Heterodontus quoyi www.iucnredlist.org
  • McCosker, J.E. Rosenblatt, R.H. (2010) The fishes of the Galápagos Archipelago: an update. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sc., Ser. 4, vol. 61, Suppl. II, no. 11: 167-195.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Heterodontus quoyi", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=7849. Accessed 3 November 2026.