Classification / Names Nomi Comuni | Sinonimi | Catalog of Fishes(Genere, Specie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchi (squali e razze) (sharks and rays) > Lamniformes (Mackerel sharks) > Megachasmidae (Megamouth sharks)
Etymology: Megachasma: megas (Gr.), large; chasma (Gr.), yawning hole or open mouth, referring to its unusually large oral cavity. (See ETYFish); pelagios: Greek for “of the sea,” referring to its oceanic, epipelagic habitat. (See ETYFish).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecologia

marino; oceanodromo (Ref. 51243); distribuzione batimetrica 5 - 600 m (Ref. 58302), usually 120 - 166 m (Ref. 48844). Deep-water; 40°N - 40°S, 180°W - 180°E

Distribuzione Stati | Aree FAO | Ecosystems | Presenze | Point map | Introduzioni | Faunafri

Pacific Ocean: Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Hawaii and California, USA. Atlantic Ocean: Brazil and Senegal.

Length at first maturity / Size / Peso / Age

Maturity: L_m ?, range 540 - ? cm
Max length : 549 cm TL maschio/sesso non determinato; (Ref. 85838); 709.0 cm TL (female)

Short description Morfologia | Morfometria

Spine dorsali (totale): 0; Vertebre: 125. Body stout, tapering posteriorly (Ref. 6871), tadpole-like with larger head and tapering trunk and tail (Ref. 47786). Snout extremely short but broadly rounded (Ref 43278, 47786). Head huge, blubbery (Ref. 6871). Mouth very broad and terminal on head, with corner extending behind the eyes (Ref. 6871, 43278). Jaws huge, protrusible anteriorly but not greatly distensible laterally (Ref. 43278, 47786), lower jaw extending to snout tip (Ref. 6871). Teeth very small, numerous, hooked (Ref. 43278, 6871, 47787). Gill slits moderately long, not reaching dorsal surface of head (Ref. 6871; 43278), internal gill slits lined with dense rows of papillose gill rakers (Ref. 43278). Eyes semicircular (Ref. 47786), with no nictitating membrane (Ref. 43278, 6871, 47786). Two dorsal fins, relatively low and angular; small anal fin; long, narrow pectoral fins; moderate-sized pelvic fin; caudal fin asymmetrical, non-lunate, with a short and strong ventral lobe; upper pre-caudal pit only; caudal peduncle without keels or ridges (Ref, 6871, 43278).

Oceanic, possibly occurring in depths between 150 and 1,000 m (Ref. 6871). Epi- and mesopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feeds on planktivorous prey such as euphausiid shrimps, copepods and jellyfish (Ref. 6871). May also eat small midwater fishes. Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Possibly less active than the basking and whale sharks (Ref. 6871). Its feeding habits and habitat suggest that it may be a rare catch in the future. Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother (Ref. 50449). Males mature by 400 cm (Ref. 6871). A bright white band on the snout just above the upper jaw may play a role in feeding behavior or with recognition of individuals (Ref. 47761). Preyed on by the semi-parasitic cookiecutter shark, Isistius brasiliensis.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturità | Riproduzione | Deposizione | Uova | Fecundity | Larve

Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding on other ova produced by the mother (oophagy) after the yolk sac is absorbed (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205). Size at birth <177 cm (Ref. 85838).

Main reference Upload your references | Bibliografia | Coordinatore | Collaboratori

Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 1 - Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/1):1-249. Rome, FAO. (Ref. 247)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 09 November 2018

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Pesca: di nessun interesse

FAO - pesca: species profile; Publication: search | FishSource |

Informazioni ulteriori

Stati
Aree FAO
Ecosystems
Presenze
Introduzioni
Stocks
Ecologia
Dieta
Prede
Consumo di cibo
Razione

Nomi Comuni
Sinonimi
Metabolismo
Predatori
Ecotossicologia
Riproduzione
Maturità
Deposizione
Spawning aggregation
Fecundity
Uova
Egg development

Age/Size
Accrescimento
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morfometria
Morfologia
Larve
Dinamica popolazioni larvali
Reclutamento
Abbondanza
BRUVS

Bibliografia
Acquacoltura
Profilo di acquacoltura
Varietà
Genetica
Electrophoreses
Ereditarietà
Malattie
Elaborazione
Nutrients
Mass conversion

Collaboratori
Immagini
Stamps, Coins Misc.
Suoni
Ciguatera
Velocità
Modalità di nuoto
Area branchiale
Otoliths
Cervelli
Vista

Strumenti

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Nomi Comuni | Photos

Fonti Internet

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 9.7 - 23, mean 17.8 °C (based on 247 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 1.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.4 ±0.2 se; based on diet studies.

Resilienza (Ref. 120179): Molto basso, tempo minimo di raddoppiamento della popolazione più di 14 anni (Fec assumed to be <10).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).

Back to Search

Random Species

Megachasma pelagios Taylor, Compagno & Struhsaker, 1983