Bythaelurus is a genus of sharks belonging to the familyPentanchidae, the deepwater catsharks. 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.[1]
^Kaschner C.J.; Weigmann S.; Thiel R. (2015). "Bythaelurus tenuicephalus n. sp., a new deep-water catshark (Carcharhiniformes, Scyliorhinidae) from the western Indian Ocean". Zootaxa. 4013 (1): 120–138. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4013.1.9. PMID26623887.
^Weigmann, Simon; Kaschner, Carina Julia (2017). "Bythaelurus vivaldii, a new deep-water catshark (Carcharhiniformes, Scyliorhinidae) from the northwestern Indian Ocean off Somalia". Zootaxa. 4263 (1): 097–119. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4263.1.4. PMID28609882.