Distribution:

Almost circumglobal in tropical and temperate seas. Western Atlantic: North Carolina to Florida (USA) and northern Gulf of Mexico to northern Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland and Norway to Namibia, including the Mediterranean. Indian Ocean: Madagascar, Mozambique, and South Africa. Western Pacific: eastern Japan to New Zealand and Hawaii. Eastern Pacific: Aleutian Is., Alaska to Baja California, Mexico; also Chile. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Se.

Diagnosis:

Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. A heavily-bodied, broad-headed sixgill shark, mouth ventral with 6 rows of lower, bladelike, comb-shaped teeth on each side. Snout broadly rounded, body fusiform. Anal fin smaller than dorsal fin. Brown or grey above, paler below, with a light stripe along side. Fins with white edges. Live specimens with flourescent green eyes. Six gill slits are very long.

Biology:

A deepwater species of the outer continental and insular shelves and upper slopes. Juveniles may be found close inshore. Found on the bottom by day, moving to the surface at night to feed. Feeds on a wide range of marine organisms, including other sharks, rays, chimaeras, bony fish, squids, crabs, shrimps, carrion, and even seals. Marketed fresh, frozen, or dried salted; also utilized as a source of oil and fishmeal. Not known to have attacked people without provocation. Give birth to almost 100 young.

Max. size: 850.0 cm

Max.weight: 590 Kg

Environment: benthopelagic; depth range 0 - 2000 m

Climate: subtropical; 65°N - 46°S

Canary Islands country information: Name: Albafara, Albajar, Marfara