The Australian sawtail catshark (Figaro boardmani) is a common species of catshark, and part of the family Scyliorhinidae, endemic to southern Australian waters. It is found on or near the bottom of the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope, at depths of . This slim-bodied species is characterized by crests of enlarged dermal denticles along both the dorsal and ventral edges of its caudal fin and caudal peduncle, along with a color pattern of broad, dark saddles outlined in white. It can grow to in length. The Australian sawtail catshark feeds mainly on fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods. Females are oviparous and lay eggs enclosed by capsules. This species is often caught incidentally by commercial bottom trawl fisheries, but is not significantly threatened by fishing activity. Thus, it has been assessed as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Taxonomy Australian ichthyologist Gilbert Percy Whitley originally described the Australian sawtail catshark as Pristiurus boardmani, in a 1928 issue of the scientific journal Records of the Australian Museum, and placed it within his newly created subgenus Figaro. Whitley named the species after his friend and colleague William Boardman, who collected the first known specimens, including the holotype: a long adult male trawled by the Bar-ea-mul on 18 July 1925, northeast of Montague Island off New South Wales. Another common name for this species is banded shark. Both Pristiurus and Figaro have generally been considered junior synonyms of the genus Galeus; in 2008, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) researchers Daniel Gledhill, Peter Last, and William White resurrected Figaro, with F. boardmani as the type species. Whitley regarded sharks from the Great Australian Bight as representing a distinct subspecies, F. b. socinus, which has not been recognized by subsequent authors. However, individuals from different portions of its range do exhibit minor differences in morphology and coloration, which merit further study. Description The maximum known length of the Australian sawtail catshark is . Its slender body is firm and nearly cylindrical in cross-section. The snout is rather short and narrow, with a somewhat angular profile from above. The eyes are horizontally oval and equipped with rudimentary nictitating membranes (protective third eyelids). Beneath the eye is a thin ridge, and behind is a tiny spiracle. The nostrils have triangular flaps of skin in front. The mouth is wide and arched, with furrows of medium length at each corner.