Squatina

Squatina is a genus of flattened, bottom-dwelling sharks commonly called angel sharks, and is the only living genus in both the family Squatinidae and the order Squatiniformes. Angel sharks typically inhabit sandy seabeds at depths around 150 metres, though some species range far deeper, to as much as 1,300 metres. Unlike most sharks, Squatina species have strongly flattened bodies and broad pectoral fins that give them a marked resemblance to rays, an adaptation suited to their life as stationary, camouflaged ambush predators rather than active pursuit hunters; this sedentary habit makes large-scale ocean migration essentially impossible for the genus. Angel sharks are occasionally called monkfish, a name also applied unrelatedly to fish of the genus Lophius. Many Squatina species are now critically endangered, following severe population declines across their formerly abundant range.