Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Hexanchiformes (Frill and cow sharks) >
Hexanchidae (Cow sharks)
Etymology: Hexanchus: hex (Gr.), six; anchus, etymology unclear, perhaps anchos (Gr.), choke or throttle, referring to how six gill openings of H. griseus extend down onto the throat (See ETYFish); vitulus: Latin for calf or bullock, i.e., a small cowshark, smaller than its fellow Atlantic congener, H. griseus (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 0 - 700 m (Ref. 125614). Tropical; 46°N - 6°N, 98°W - 28°E
Atlantic Ocean: Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean to Venezuela and Guyanas; Bay of Biscay, from France to Morocco and the Mediterranean.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 160.0, range 142 - 178 cm
Max length : 230 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 124786); 178.0 cm TL (female); common length : 120 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)
Found on continental and insular slopes. Feeds mainly on bony fishes and cephalopods, sometimes on crustaceans Viviparous, with 13 to 26 young in a litter. Size at birth measures to about 40-45 cm TL (Ref. 125614). It was reported that there is likely some stratification of the distribution by size, presumably with larger individuals present in deeper waters (mostly adult captured in the Bahamas at an average depth of 639.5 m) than the juveniles (< 350 m in Belize and northern Gulf of Mexico). Resource and habitat partitioning between juvenile and much larger adult bluntnose sixgill sharks has been suggested as predation avoidance (Ref. 117400).
Viviparous, with number of young 13 in one litter. Length at birth about 40 to 45 cm.
Daly-Engel, T.S., I.E. Baremore, R.D. Grubbs, S.J.B. Gulak, R.T. Graham and M.P. Enzenauer, 2018. Resurrection of the sixgill shark Hexanchus vitulus Springer & Waller, 1969 (Hexanchiformes, Hexanchidae), with comments on its distribution in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Marine Biodiversity: [1-10]. (Ref. 117400)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00240 (0.00101 - 0.00571), b=3.14 (2.93 - 3.35), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
