The first known specimens of Galeus mincaronei were caught in experimental fish traps set off the coast of Rio Grande do Sul , Brazil , in 1988. They were originally identified as Galeus antillensis , and in 2001 Jules Soto described the new species in the scientific journal Mare Magnum and named it after Michael Maya Mincarone for his contribution to the Museu Oceanográfico do Vale do Itajaí . The type sample was an adult male 40 cm long. [1]
Galeus mincaronei resembles Galeus antillensis and, along with the Antillean sawtail ( Galeus arae ), Galeus cadenati and Galeus springeri, belongs to the Galeus arae complex . [2] In 2006, researchers reported that the range of morphological variations of this species is wider than previously thought. This casts doubt on the characteristics that were originally used to distinguish Galeus mincaronei from Galeus antillensis , for example, the length of the pectoral fin boundaries. It was recommended that the study of the status of these two species be continued [2] .
Galeus mincaronei is endemic to the southwestern Atlantic and lives on the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina , and is also found north, off the coast of São Paulo . The total area of this species is less than 20,000 km². This is a deep-sea bottom shark, which is kept at a depth of 236–600 m, but most often below 400 m. Galeus mincaronei lives on the upper continental shelf , which is rich in gorgonians , hard corals , sponges , sea lilies and ophiuras [1] [3] .
The maximum length is 43 cm [2] . Galeus mincaronei has a thin body and with a rather short and flattened head and a pointed muzzle. Oval eyes are elongated horizontally, they are equipped with a rudimentary third century , behind the eyes there are tiny spiracles . There are small protrusions under the eyes. The nostrils are divided by triangular skin folds. The large mouth is curved in the form of a short wide arch, deep grooves are located in the corners. On the upper jaw 57–71, and on the lower 56–6.3 dentition. Each tooth is equipped with a central tip and 1-2 small lateral teeth. The fourth and fifth gill slots are located above the pectoral fins [1] [2] .
The base of the first dorsal fin is located behind the posterior part of the ventral fins. The base of the second dorsal fin is located above the back of the anal fin. Both dorsal fins have a small height, their tips are rounded. The pectoral fins are large, with rounded ends. The ventral fins are small and fairly wide. Males have short and thick pterygopodia with hooks on the inner surface. The base of the anal fin is 11-14% of the total body length, exceeds the distance between the ventral and anal fin, and may be shorter or longer than the distance between the dorsal fins. The caudal fin is short with a small lower lobe and a ventral notch near the tip of the upper lobe. The body is covered with small, overlapping placoid scales , each of which has the shape of a crown with a horizontal ridge and three marginal denticles. On the front of the dorsal margin of the caudal fin there is a characteristic sawtooth crest formed by large scales. The color is red-brownish, dark oval spots with a white fringing are scattered on both sides on the back. The fins are darker than the main color, without markings. The belly is light. The inner surface of the mouth is painted black [1] [2] [4] .
Galeus mincaronei lives in the same places as the common Brazilian cat shark ( Scyliorhinus haeckelii ). This species is ovipositing. Females on the right have one functional ovary and two functional ovipositors, in which one egg each matures. The eggs are enclosed in hard capsules in the form of a vase, having 5-6 cm in length and 4 cm in width. At the corners there are curling antennae [1] . Males and females reach puberty with a length of 36–38 cm and 35–39 cm, respectively [3] .
Galleus mincaronei may be caught by longline in deep-sea trawls, which are caught by the Lophius piscatorius and squid . The limited range makes this species susceptible to overfishing. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assigned this species the status of conservation “Vulnerable” [3] .
