Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Squaliformes (Bramble, sleeper and dogfish sharks) >
Somniosidae (Sleeper sharks)
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 0 - 2200 m (Ref. 6871), usually 400 - 900 m (Ref. 55584). Deep-water; 64°N - 48°S
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 59 - ? cm
Max length : 84.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6871)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 2;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 0;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 0. Black in color, small dorsal fin spines, moderately long snout, small lanceolate teeth without cusplets in upper jaw and large high, knife-cusped cutting teeth in lower jaw, mouth moderately wide and nearly transverse, caudal fin with strong subterminal notch and short lower lobe (Ref. 247).
Western Indian Ocean: off Natal, South Africa (Ref. 5578). Eastern Pacific: Hawaiian Islands and Chile (Ref. 58302). Western Pacific: Japan, South China Sea, New Zealand, and Australia. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland to Senegal; off Namibia (Ref. 5578). Western Atlantic: Gulf of Mexico, Suriname, and southern Brazil to Uruguay (Ref. 58839).
Demersal or pelagic near continental slopes and seamounts in depths of 550-2,000 m (Ref. 6871, 58302). Also found from the surface to 580 m over deep water (Ref. 26346). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). Used dried and salted for human consumption and for fishmeal (Ref. 6871). Caught rarely by longline fisheries operating in deepwater; also caught, but rarely landed, by pelagic tuna longline fisheries (Ref.58048).
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.
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
More information
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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00484 (-0.19250 - 0.20217), b=3.13 (3.03 - 3.23), based on LWR estimates for this family-BS (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.5 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (51 of 100) .