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SPECIES INFORMATION
Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Distinguished from all other sharks by the enormous gill slits practically encircling the head; dermal denticle gill rakers; pointed snout; huge, sub terminal mouth with minute hooked teeth; caudal peduncle with strong lateral keels, and lunate caudal fin. Body covered with placoid scales. (Other sources of morphological data: Ref. 309, 5983).
Cosmopolitan. Western Atlantic: Newfoundland, Canada to Florida, USA; southern Brazil to Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland, Norway and western Barents Sea to the Mediterranean and Senegal; also western Cape Province, South Africa. Western Pacific: Japan to New Zealand. Eastern Pacific: Gulf of Alaska to Chile; possibly the Galapagos Islands. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (Ref. 26139).
The second largest shark, reportedly reaching 1,220-1,520 cm TL (Ref. 247). Found on continental and insular shelves, offshore and often close to land, just off the surf zone; enters enclosed bays (Ref. 247). Swims slowly at the surface, usually in groups of 3 or 4 but a group of up to 100 has been reported (Ref. 6871). Found on the bottom of deep water during winter (Ref. 6871, 58302). Coastal-pelagic at 1 meter to unknown depths, probably epipelagic (Ref. 58302). Feeds by filtering copepods, barnacles, decapod larvae, and fish eggs from the water (Ref. 247, 43278). Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother (Ref. 50449). Regarded as ordinarily harmless and inoffensive but potentially dangerous if attacked (particularly when harpooned) (Ref. 247). pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); marine; depth range 0 - 2000 m (Ref. 26346), usually 0 - ? m (Ref. 55197). Temperate.
Provincial Status:Unlisted BC Status (Red Blue List):Not listed COSEWIC Status:E (Apr 2007) Origin Status:Not Available
BC Ministry of Environment:BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer--the
authoritative source for conservation information in British Columbia.
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Please cite these pages as: Author, Date. Page title. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2009. E-Fauna BC:
Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia [www.efauna.bc.ca]. Lab
for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver. [Accessed:
2/9/2010 1:49:11 PM]
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