#2015 · 🦈 sharks & rays
Angelshark
🇳🇱 Zee-engel ·Squatina squatina
10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
- 1. © Dennis Rabeling · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- 2. © Susanne Spindler · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- 3. © Susanne Spindler · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- 4. © Dennis Rabeling · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- 5. © Stimil · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 6. © Philippe Guillaume · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- 7. © jome jome · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- 8. © Kurt Kristian Lyngholm · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 9. © John Turnbull · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- 10. © John Turnbull · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
what is it?
Squatina squatina , the angelshark or monkfish , is a species of shark in the family Squatinidae (known generally also as angel sharks), that were once widespread in the coastal waters of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Well-adapted for camouflaging itself on the sea floor, the angelshark has a flattened form with enlarged pectoral and pelvic fins, giving it a superficial resemblance to a ray. This species can be identified by its broad and stout body, conical barbels, thornless...
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
- 1,447 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named in 1758 (268 years ago).
- Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
fact sheet
- English
- Angelshark
- Nederlands
- Zee-engel
- scientific name
- Squatina squatina
- class
- Chondrichthyes
- order
- Squatiniformes
- family
- Squatinidae
- IUCN Red List
- CR · critically endangered
- sightings in NL
- 0
- sightings in Europe
- 8
- sightings worldwide
- 1,447
- GBIF records in NL
- 40
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1758
IUCN in Dutch: ernstig bedreigd. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 113064, Wikidata Q578842, GBIF 2417781, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.