Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898

Goblin shark

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

Classification	Elasmobranchii \| Lamniformes \| Mitsukurinidae
Synonyms	Scapanorhynchus owstoni, Odontaspis nasutus, Scapanorhynchus dofleini, ... more
Common names	Requin lutin, Tiburón duende, Elfin shark, ... more

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Image of Mitsukurina owstoni (Goblin shark)

Picture by Stenberg, C.

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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 : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 385 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6871); common length : 200 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)

Environment

Bathydemersal; marine; depth range 30 - 1300 m (Ref. 43278), usually 270 - 960 m (Ref. 43278)

Climate / Range

Deep-water; 48°N - 55°S, 180°W - 180°E

Western Atlantic: Guyana (Ref. 6871), Suriname (Ref. 13608, 11228) and French Guiana. Eastern Atlantic: France (Bay of Biscay), Madeira, Portugal, and South Africa. Western Indian Ocean: off South Africa. Western Pacific: Japan, Australia (South Australia, New South Wales), New Zealand (Ref. 26346). Eastern Pacific: USA (southern California) (Ref. 43278).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Flat, bladelike, elongated snout, tiny eyes without nictitating eyelids, soft, flabby body, slender, very long cusped teeth in long, protrusible jaws, long caudal fin without a ventral lobe (Ref. 247). Pinkish-white with bluish fins, becoming brownish grey after death (Ref. 5578, 11228).

Found on outer continental shelves and upper slopes, but rarely in shallow water close inshore (Ref. 247, 43278). Jaws are highly specialized for rapid projection from the head to snap up small animals (Ref. 247). Feeds on jacopever, pelagic octopus and crabs (Ref. 5578). Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother (Ref. 50449). Probably slow-moving and neutrally buoyant (Ref. 6871). Utilized dried salted (Ref. 247)


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Least Concern (LC)	Harmless (Ref. 6871)

Human uses


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

Tools
Biogeographic modelling \| E-book \| Field guide \| Length-frequency wizard \| Life-history tool \| Point map

Special reports
Check for Aquarium maintenance \| Check for Species Fact Sheets \| Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page \| Point data \| Common names \| Photos

Internet sources

Estimation of some characteristics with mathematical models

Resilience (Ref. 69278)

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec assumed to be <10)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
Very high vulnerability (87 of 100)	Not marketed/unknown

Entered by Carpenter, Kent E.

Modified by Ortañez, Auda Kareen

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