[4] The chain catshark is found in the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, ranging from George's Bank in Massachusetts, to Nicaragua and Barbados.

[1] In the Mid-Atlantic Bight, the chain catshark is found along the outer continental shelf and upper slope.

Although bands of warm water at the edge of the shelf have been observed, the temperature varies seasonally, thus limiting this non-migratory species.

[4] Adult sharks tend to prefer rough bottoms, creating a difficulty for trawl sampling, while the immature forms are found near smoother regions.

[4] The female chain catshark is able to store sperm and lay eggs several days after initial copulation.

They also feature two coiled tendrils, a key adaptation which allows snagging on rocks or man made structures, providing grounding and safety.

The following exhibits a typical developmental timeline (measurements are embryo length):[4] The chain catshark is one of four elasmobranch species shown to possesses biofluorescent properties.

[10] The researchers of the study examined the vision of Scyliorhinus retifer using microspectrophotometry and designed a "shark-eye" camera that yielded contrast information on areas where fluorescence is anatomically distributed on the shark.

[1][13] The chain catshark has been described as "gorgeous",[14] and this, combined with its small size, makes it a popular cold-water aquarium fish.