The basic colour of the back and sides is pale brown and on this are an evenly distributed scattering of large white spots and seven or eight indistinct dark saddles.

[2] This deepwater catshark is known from the subtropical western Atlantic Ocean, it being found off the coasts of southern Florida, the Bahamas and Cuba at depths of between 200 and 600 m (700 and 2,000 ft), but most commonly between 366 and 550 m (1,200 and 1,800 ft);[3] it inhabits the continental shelf and insular slopes and has been little studied.

As the embryos develop inside their egg-cases, they feed on their egg yolks.

[3] This little-known catshark has a rather limited range and is occasionally caught by deepwater trawlers working near the seabed.

It seems to be an uncommon species, but as it is seldom caught, the population is probably stable and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the fish's conservation status as being of "least concern".