| Dwarf gulper shark | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Subdivision: | Selachimorpha |
| Order: | Squaliformes |
| Family: | Centrophoridae |
| Genus: | Centrophorus |
| Species: | C. atromarginatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Centrophorus atromarginatus Garman, 1913 | |
 | |
| Range of dwarf gulper shark (in blue) | |
The dwarf gulper shark (Centrophorus atromarginatus) is a dogfish of the family Centrophoridae.
The maximum total length recorded for the gulper shark is 5 ft (150 cm). Gulper shark pups average from 1 to 1.4 ft (30-42 cm) total length at birth. Precise details of the size, age, and growth, such as size at maturity for the gulper shark, are currently unknown. The gulper shark is a slim, relatively long dogfish with two dorsal fins bearing long grooved spines. The second dorsal fin is shorter than the first, and its base is about three-fourths the length of the first dorsal fin. The distance from the first and second dorsal fins is equal to the distance from the tip of the snout to the axil of the pectoral fin. The color of the gulper shark is olive-grey to grey-brown or sandy grey to brown dorsally and lighter ventrally with no obvious markings in adults; juveniles may be lighter and may have dusky tips on the dorsal and caudal fins.
The dwarf gulper shark is found in the Indo-West Pacific oceans, from the Gulf of Aden, Japan and Taiwan to northern Papua New Guinea.
The dwarf gulper shark lives and feeds at depths exceeding 656 ft (m) in marine and deep-water. Dogfish are most commonly found between 328 ft and 3937 ft (100-1200 meters)
The Centrophoridae are a family of squaliform sharks. The family contains just two genera and about 15 species. They are sometimes called gulper sharks, but this is also the name of a specific species in the family, Centrophorus granulosus. These are generally deepwater fish. While some, such as the gulper shark C. granulosus, are found worldwide and fished commercially, others are uncommon and little-known. Their usual prey is other fish; some are known to feed on squid, octopus, and shrimp. Some species live on the bottom (benthic), while others are pelagic. They are ovoviviparous, with the female retaining the egg-cases in her body until they hatch.
Squalidae, more commonly known as dogfish, dog sharks, or spiny dogfish, are one of several families of sharks categorized under Squaliformes, making it the second largest order of sharks, numbering 119 species across 7 families. Having earned their name after a group of fishermen reportedly observed the species chasing down smaller fish in dog-like packs, dogfish have slender, streamlined bodies, usually more compact in comparison to other species, and a pointed snout. Dogfish likewise have two dorsal fins, each with smooth spines, but no anal fin, and their skin is generally rough to the touch. As the species reaches adulthood, males usually measure a maximum of 100 cm, while females typically measure 125 cm long. The species therefore exhibits female-dominant sexual dimorphism.
Centrophorus is a genus of squaliform sharks. These deep-water sharks, found in temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world, are characterized by grey or brown bodies, large green eyes, and spines on both dorsal fins. These spines give them their name, from Greek κεντρον, kentron meaning "thorn" and φέρειν, pherein meaning "to bear".
The dumb gulper shark is a rare and endangered deepwater dogfish, found along the east coast of Australia and in isolated spots north and west of New Zealand. It is also known as the dumb shark, Harrison's deep-sea dogfish, or Harrison's dogfish.
The lowfin gulper shark is a large deepwater dogfish in the family Centrophoridae.
The smallfin gulper shark or endeavour dogfish, is a medium-sized deepwater dogfish in the family Centrophoridae.
The leafscale gulper shark is a dogfish of the family Centrophoridae. C. squamosus is reported to have a lifespan of approximately 70 years, based on otolith ring counts. It was the first described species in the genus Centrophorus, which now contains 13 species.
The mosaic gulper shark is a small rare deepwater dogfish, found in the Pacific Ocean around Honshū, Japan and the Hawaiian Islands at depths between 260 and 728 m. It is one of 13 described species in the genus Centrophorus.
The little gulper shark is a small, deepwater dogfish of the family Centrophoridae.
The gulper shark is a long and slender dogfish usually about three feet in length generally found in deep, murky waters all around the world. It is a light grayish brown, paler ventrally, with a long snout and large greenish eyes. This deep water shark has two dorsal fins with long, grooved spines and the second dorsal fin smaller than the first. Its upper teeth are blade-like and lower have finely serrated edges. This tertiary consumer feeds on mainly fish such as bony fish, but also cephalopods such as squid and other invertebrates like crustaceans. The gulper shark is currently an endangered species mainly because of exploitation by humans and their abnormally long gestation period and low fecundity, preventing their population from recovering. Because of the depth of their habitat, they are considered little to no threat to humans.
The prickly dogfish is a poorly known species of dogfish shark in the family Oxynotidae, inhabiting temperate Australian and New Zealand waters. Reaching a length of 75 cm (30 in), this brown to gray shark has a very thick body with a prominent "humpback" and extremely rough skin. It is further characterized by two enormous, sail-like dorsal fins placed relatively close together. Both dorsal fins have a spine embedded mostly within the fleshy leading portion of the fin; the first dorsal spine is tilted forward.
The Portuguese dogfish or Portuguese shark, is a species of sleeper shark of the family Somniosidae. This globally distributed species has been reported down to a depth of 3,675 m (12,057 ft), making it the deepest-living shark known. It inhabits lower continental slopes and abyssal plains, usually staying near the bottom. Stocky and dark brown in color, the Portuguese dogfish can be distinguished from similar-looking species by the small spines in front of its dorsal fins. Its dermal denticles are also unusual, resembling the scales of a bony fish. This species typically reaches 0.9–1 m (3.0–3.3 ft) in length; sharks in the Mediterranean Sea are much smaller and have distinct depth and food preferences.
The blurred lanternshark is a little-known species of dogfish shark in the family Etmopteridae, found around the world in benthic and pelagic habitats from a depth of 110 m (360 ft) to over 1 km (0.62 mi) down. This shark forms the E. pusillus species group with the smooth lanternshark, which are distinguished from other members of its family by having irregularly arranged, flat-topped dermal denticles that give them a "smooth" appearance. Both species are slender-bodied with long heads, two dorsal fins bearing spines, no anal fins, and light-emitting photophores. The blurred lanternshark is larger, reaching 67 cm (26 in) or more in length. This species feeds on small squid, fishes, and fish eggs, and is ovoviviparous. It has been assessed as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, because of its wide distribution and lack of threat from fishing pressure.
The velvet belly lanternshark is a species of dogfish shark in the family Etmopteridae. One of the most common deepwater sharks in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, the velvet belly is found from Iceland and Norway to Gabon and South Africa at a depth of 20–2,490 m (66–8,169 ft). A small shark generally no more than 45 cm (18 in) long, the velvet belly is so named because its black underside is abruptly distinct from the brown coloration on the rest of its body. The body of this species is fairly stout, with a moderately long snout and tail, and very small gill slits. Like other lanternsharks, the velvet belly is bioluminescent, with light-emitting photophores forming a species-specific pattern over its flanks and abdomen. The ventral photophores are thought to function in counter-illumination, which camouflages the shark against predators and prey. The bioluminescent flank markings may play a role in intraspecific communication.
The spotless smooth-hound is a species of houndshark, in the family Triakidae, found on the continental shelves of the northwest Pacific, between latitudes 40° N and 11° N, from the surface to a depth of 300 m. It can grow to a length of up to 1 m.
The dwarf sawtail catshark is a little-known species of catshark, belonging to the family Scyliorhinidae, found exclusively in the deep waters off Luzon in the Philippines. Unlike other members of its genus, this slender, diminutive shark has a short, rounded snout and very short furrows at the corners of its jaws. It has indistinct darker saddles beneath each dorsal fin and two dark bands on the caudal fin, as well as a prominent crest of enlarged dermal denticles along the upper caudal fin margin.
The green lanternshark is a species of dogfish shark in the family Etmopteridae, found in the western central Atlantic Ocean. This species usually occurs on the upper continental slope below a depth of 350 m (1,150 ft). Reaching 26 cm (10 in) in length, the green lanternshark has a slender body with a long, thin tail and low, conical dermal denticles on its flanks. It is dark brown or gray with ventral black coloration, which contain light-emitting photophores that may serve a cryptic and/or social function. Green lanternsharks are thought to be gregarious and may attack their prey, squid and octopus often larger than themselves, in packs. Reproduction is aplacental viviparous, with females giving birth to litters of one to three young. This relatively common shark is an occasional, valueless bycatch of commercial fisheries; currently it does not appear to be significantly threatened by human activities.
The dwarf lanternshark is a species of dogfish shark in the family Etmopteridae and is the smallest shark in the world, reaching a maximum known length of 20 cm (8 in). It is known to be present only on the upper continental slopes off Colombia and Venezuela, at a depth of 283–439 m (928–1,440 ft). This species can be identified by its small size at maturity, long flattened head, and pattern of black ventral markings and a mid-dorsal line. Like other members of its genus, it is capable of producing light from a distinctive array of photophores. Reproduction is aplacental viviparous, with females gestating two or three young at a time. The dwarf lanternshark is not significant to commercial fisheries, but could be threatened by mortality from bycatch; the degree of impact from human activities on its population is unknown.
The Seychelles gulper shark is a species of fish in the family Centrophoridae found in Alphonse island in Seychelles. This species is distinguished by having large tip of snout to first dorsal distance of 34% TL; first dorsal fin high ; second dorsal fin base long ; long snout ; uniformly grey with tip and the trailing edge of dorsal fins blackish. It is one of 11 described species in the genus Centrophorus.
 | This shark-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
