Somniosus microcephalus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Greenland shark

Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Classification	Elasmobranchii \| Squaliformes \| Somniosidae
Synonyms	Squalus microcephalus, Leiodon echinatum, Scymnus glacialis, ... more
Common names	Laimargue du Groenland, Tollo de Groenlandia, Ground shark, ... more

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Image of Somniosus microcephalus (Greenland shark)

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This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS

Main reference

Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. (Ref. 247)
Other references | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 730 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 247); max. published weight: 775.0 kg (Ref. 4699)

Environment

Benthopelagic; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 2200 m (Ref. 247), usually 200 - 600 m (Ref. 35388)

Climate / Range

Deep-water; 1°C - 12°C (Ref. 247); 83°N - 49°S, 79°W - 66°E (Ref. 55204)

North Atlantic and Arctic: Cape Cod and the Gulf of Maine, Gulf of St. Lawrence to Ellesmere Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Spitzbergen, White Sea, and Norway to the North Sea, sometimes south to the Seine River mouth, France and maybe Portugal. South Atlantic and Southern Ocean: South Africa, Kerguelen and Macquarie islands.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. A gigantic, heavily-bodied dogfish shark with a moderately long, rounded snout and small, low dorsal fins; lower caudal lobe long; upper jaw with small single-cusped teeth and lower jaw with moderate-sized, bent-cusped, slicing teeth (Ref. 5578). Medium grey or brown in color, sometimes with transverse dark bands or small light spots (Ref. 5578).

Found on continental and insular shelves and upper slopes down to at least 1,200 m (Ref. 247) and to as deep as 2,200 m (Ref. 55584). Epibenthic-pelagic (Ref. 58426). In the Arctic and boreal Atlantic, it occurs inshore in the intertidal and at the surface in shallow bays and river mouths during colder months, retreating to depths of 180-550 m when the temperature rises (Ref. 247). Feeds on pelagic and bottom fishes (herring, Atlantic salmon, Arctic char, capelin, redfish, sculpins, lumpfish, cod, haddock, Atlantic halibut, Greenland halibut and skates (Ref. 5951)), sharks and skates (Ref. 5578), seals and small cetaceans, sea birds, squids, crabs, amphipods, marine snails, brittle stars, sea urchins, and jellyfish (Ref. 247, 58240). Petromyzon marinus was reported to have been attached to S. microcephalus (Ref. 58185). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). Also utilized fresh and dried for human and sled-dog food (flesh is said to be toxic when fresh); eskimos also used the skin to make boots, and the sharp lower dental bands as knives for cutting hair (Ref. 247). A very sluggish shark (Ref. 28609).


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Near Threatened (NT)	Poisonous to eat (Ref. 4690)

Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes


More information
Countries FAO areas Ecosystems Occurrences Introductions Ecology Diet Food items Food consumption Ration	Common names Synonyms Metabolism Predators Ecotoxicology Reproduction Maturity Spawning Eggs Egg development	Age/Size Growth Length-weight Length-length Length-frequencies Morphometrics Morphology Larvae Larval dynamics Recruitment	Other references Biblio Aquaculture Aquaculture profile Strains Genetics Allele frequencies Heritability Diseases Processing	Collaborators Pictures Stamps Sounds Ciguatera Speed Swim. type Gill area Otoliths Brains Vision

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Internet sources

Estimation of some characteristics with mathematical models

Resilience (Ref. 69278)

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=10; assuming tm>10)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
Very high vulnerability (90 of 100)	Low

Entered by Carpenter, Kent E.

Modified by Froese, Rainer

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Page last modified by : elaxamana, 15 July 2009

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