| Somniosidae (Sleeper sharks) |
| 101.1 cm TL (male/unsexed); 151.1 cm TL (female) |
|
bathypelagic; marine; depth range 400 - 830 m |
| Indo-West Pacific: Andaman Is., Japan and Taiwan. |
|
This large brownish-black deep-water shark is distinguished by the following: body is subcylindrical; head depressed, flat above and broad; short snout; dermal denticles along the trunk with pedicelated crowns, supporting dorsal leaf-like blades, with posterior margin of blade straight, slightly undulated, or serrated; only oblique cusps on the lower jaw teeth, without any symmetrical symphysial tooth and outer margin of main cusp almost erect; first and second dorsal fin with a small exposed spine; narrow paddle-shaped pectoral fin (pectoral fin posterior margin 4.6-6.9 % TL); pelvic fin about equal to the second dorsal fin; deep caudal fin, forked barely, with apex of the upper lobe moderately rounded; no anal fin; eyes and spiracle large; upper teeth much smaller than lower, distinct as small spear-like smooth edges in upper teeth and lower triangular (Ref. 125648, 131163). |
| The smallest recorded mature male is 89.2 cm TL; smallest juvenile male 49.2 cm TL; a female found pregnant with both uteri containing an undetermined number of fertilised eggs 135,1 cm TL; one immature female 105.5 cm TL and five mature females between 126.0-145.5 cm TL (Ref. 125648). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). |
|
Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 29 August 2019 (A2d) Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
