Proscyllium magnificum

The largest magnificent catshark on record was 49 cm (19 in) long. Its body is firm and very thin. The head is rather flattened and tapers to a short, slightly bell-shaped snout. The nostrils are sizable and divided by well-developed lobes of skin on the anterior margins; the incurrent openings are tubular in appearance. The large, horizontally oval eyes are placed moderately high on the head and bear rudimentary nictitating membranes (protective third eyelids); there are prominent ridges underneath. The mouth forms a long, wide arch with very short furrows at the corners. The teeth are tiny with typically three cusps in males and five cusps in females; the central cusp is the longest. The upper teeth are exposed when the mouth is closed. There are over 80 tooth rows in the upper jaw. There are five pairs of gill slits; papillae (nipple-like structures) are present on the gill arches. The two dorsal fins are triangular with rounded apexes and gently concave trailing margins. The first dorsal fin is slightly larger than the second and originates behind the pectoral fin bases, while the second originates roughly above the rear of the anal fin base. The pectoral and pelvic fins have rounded tips, with the former much larger and broader than the latter. The pelvic fins of males have rather elongated, blunt-tipped claspers. …

The magnificent catshark is only known to occur in the northern Andaman Sea, off the coast of Myanmar. It inhabits water 141–144 m (463–472 ft) deep near the outer edge of the continental shelf.

Virtually nothing is known of the natural history of the magnificent catshark. Males attain sexual maturity at around 47 cm (19 in) long.