 The background color of the leopard catshark ranges from off @-@ white to glossy jet black above and white to almost black below , sometimes with an abrupt transition between the two . Overlaid is a striking pattern of black markings variously combining small to large spots , blotches , complete to incomplete rosettes , and / or short to long lines , that may extend almost to the midline of the belly . There are four named forms : ' typical ' , with leopard @-@ like rosettes and broken lines , ' marleyi ' , with large round spots , ' salt and pepper ' , with densely packed dots , and ' melanistic ' , with an almost completely black upper surface and irregular stripes and / or spots ; many sharks are intermediate between these forms . Color pattern is affected by development : all hatchling sharks have large black spots , that with age tend to break up into rosettes and smaller spots , that may eventually merge into lines . The ' marleyi ' form appears to be a type of paedomorphosis , in which in the hatchling pattern is carried into adulthood . Color pattern is also related to geographic location , with the ' marleyi ' and ' salt and pepper ' forms apparently restricted to the waters off the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu @-@ Natal . The leopard catshark reaches a maximum known length of 84 cm ( 33 in ) and a maximum known weight of 3 @.@ 2 kg ( 7 @.@ 1 lb ) ; males grow slightly larger than females . 
