A New Southern Caribbean Species of Angel Shark (Chondrichthyes, Squaliformes, Squatinidae), Including Phylogeny and Tempo of Diversification of American Species

A new species of Squatina, S. david, is described from the Colombian Caribbean. The new species differs from all the western North Atlantic angel sharks by lacking a mid-dorsal line of thorns or enlarged dermal denticles, by having an eye-spiracle distance larger than 1.5 times eye diameter, and each nasal flap with two rod-like barbels. Coloration is grayish to brownish yellow, males are dark-spotted, females have abundant whitish spots. Squatina david is nested within the American clade of angel sharks, being the sister species to the Brazilian species.