Frilled shark

📖 Overview

An uncommon primitive shark found on outer continental and insular shelves and upper slopes, usually between 120 and 1,280 m but occasionally caught at the surface . Feeds on other sharks, squid and bony fish . Ovoviviparous , litter size ranges from 2 to 10 . Not dangerous but teeth are sharp enough to inflict lacerations on the hands of the unwary scientist examining its mouth . Incidental in bottom trawl catches and utilized as fishmeal and as food fish .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Vertebrae: 146 - 171. Eel-like shark with 6 gill slits, the lower ends of the first gill slits connected t each other across throat . Dark brown or grey in color, sometimes paler below . Dorsal fin small and lobe-like originating over pelvic fin bases to behind anal fin origin . Anal fin larger than dorsal fin . Pectoral fins small and paddle-shaped . Caudal fin with weak ventral lobe and without subterminal notch . Terminal mouth with tricuspid teeth in both jaws .: elongated.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Frilled shark is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

The frilled shark eats a diet of cephalopods, Nudibranchs, smaller sharks, and bony fish; 60 percent of the diet is composed of squid varieties, such as the Chiroteuthis, the Histioteuthis, and the Onychoteuthis, the Sthenoteuthis and the Todarodes; and other sharks, as indicated by the stomach contents of a 1.6 m (5.2 ft)–long frilled shark which had swallowed a 590 g (1.30 lb) Japanese catshark (Apristurus japonicus). The high tendency to primarily consume the squids in their habitat can be supported by the frequent observation of beak remnants left behind during digestive processes. Because frilled sharks live on the ocean floor, they may also feed on carrion floating down from the surface. In hunting and eating prey that are tired or exhausted or dying (after spawn), the frilled shark's physiology suggests that it may curve its anguilline body, and brace its rear fins against the water, for leverage to effect a rapid-strike bite that captures the prey. The wide gape of the distended, long jaws allows devouring whole prey that are more than half the size of the frilled shark, itself. The jaws' 300 recurved teeth (19–28 upper rows and 21–29 lower rows) readily snag and capture the soft body and tentacles of a cephalopod, especially with the rows of trident-shaped teeth are rotated outwards, when the jaws are open and protruded. Moreover, unlike the strong bite of sharks with an underslung jaw attached below the cranium, the frilled shark has a relatively weak bite, because of the limited leverage and force possible with long jaws that are directly articulated to the cranium, at a point behind the eyes. The behavior of captive specimen sharks suggests that the frilled shark also hunts with its mouth open, by using the dark-and-light contrast of white teeth and darkness to lure prey into its gaping maw; and also hunts with negative pressure, to suck prey into its maw.

🥚 Reproduction

Ovoviviparous, embryos feed solely on yolk . Number of young 2 to 15 . Gestation period is probably very long, one to two years . Size at birth 40-60 cm . Distinct pairing with embrace .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 0 - 1570 m , usually 120 - 1280 m . Deep-water; 74°N - 58°S, 169°W - 180°E South Africa.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

🐠 Related Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) — 26 records indexed .

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