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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🎣 Game Fish 🌡️ Subtropical 🎣 Game Fish

Warren's sixgill sawshark

Pliotrema warreni Regan, 1906
Max Length
170 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
4.2
Depth
10–915 m
Climate
Subtropical
Resilience
Very low
Vulnerability
75.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Found on the continental shelf and upper slope to at least 430 m . Feeds on bony fish, also shrimp, mysids and squid . Ovoviviparous , with 5 to 7 young in a litter . Probably uses its saw to stun and kill prey . Sometimes caught by sports anglers .

Scientific Name
Pliotrema warreni
Authority
Regan, 1906
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Subtropical
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
170 cm
Depth Range
10–915 m
Trophic Level
4.2
Resilience
Very low
Vulnerability
75.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

This large six-gilled sawshark is distinguished by the following characters: barbel origin to anterior nostrils 1.4-1.6 times anterior nostrils to symphysis upper jaw; prenarial length 1.3-1.4 times prebarbel length; preoral length 1.8-2.3 times interdorsal space; pectoral-fin anterior margin 1.4-1.5 times dorsal-caudal space; mouth width 3.1-3.9 times spiracle length; the first dorsal fin originates about opposite pectoral-fin free rear tips; lateral trunk dermal denticles tricuspidate, rather flat and imbricated. monospondylous centra 53-56; precaudal diplospondylous centra 4-51; total vertebral centra 154-158; rostrum not constricted between barbel origin and nostrils and barbels that are situated about two thirds way from rostral tip to mouth, with prebarbel length about twice, i.e. 1.7-2.1 times, distance from barbel origin to symphysis of upper jaw (vs. barbels situated about half way from rostral tip to mouth, with prebarbel length about equal, i.e. 1.0-1.1 times, distance from barbel origin to symphysis of upper jaw), prebarbel length 60.2-68.0% (vs. 49.4-52.9% of preoral length), preoral length 1.5-1.7 (vs. 1.9-2.0 times prebarbel length), prenarial length 1.3-1.4 (vs. 1.5-1.7 times prebarbel length). Colouration: medium to dark brown dorsally with a pronounced yellowish longitudinal stripe; uniform white ventrally; the dorsal rostrum surface with two distinct longitudinal dark stripes, lateral rostral teeth dark-edged .Cross section: angular.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Warren's sixgill sawshark is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Warren's sixgill sawshark is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Ovoviviparous

Ovoviviparous, with 5 to 7 young in a litter (others have 7 to 17 developing eggs). Size at birth about 35 cm. Embryos feed solely on yolk .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; demersal; depth range 10 - 915 m , usually 60 - 430 m . Subtropical; 22°S - 37°S, 19°E - 45°E South Africa.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine ⬇️ Benthic
Trophic Level
4.2±0.6
Food Items

bony fish, also shrimp, mysids and squid (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00389 × L3.12 (TL)
Max TL
170cm

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2019

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Very low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
75.00/100
High vulnerability
Trophic Level
4.2
Apex / Top predator
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Described By
Regan, 1906

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English sixgill sawshark · Warren's Sixgill Sawshark
🌍AFR Saagbek · Seskief-saaghaai
🇫🇷French Requin Scie Flutian

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 2 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

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