Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Squaliformes (Bramble, sleeper and dogfish sharks) > Somniosidae (Sleeper sharks)
Etymology: Somniosus: Latin, somnus = sleep (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 0 - 2000 m (Ref. 26346). Temperate; 70°N - 47°S

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 440 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 247); 430.0 cm TL (female)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0. Diagnosis: Somniosus pacificus differs from S. antarcticus by the following characters: interdorsal space about 70% of prebranchial length (vs. 80%); height of first dorsal fin about 3.7% of precaudal length (PCL) (vs. 3.0%); height of second dorsal fin about 3.4% of PCL (vs. 2.9%); number of turns in spiral valve 32-37 (mode 33) (vs. 36-41, mode 39); precaudal vertebrae 28-30 (mode 29) (vs. 30-31, mode 30) (Ref. 50224).

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions | Faunafri

North Pacific.

Found on continental shelves and slopes (Ref. 247). At high latitudes, it occurs in littoral and even intertidal areas; in lower latitudes it may never come to the surface and ranges down to at least 2,000 m (Ref. 247). Feeds on bottom animals such as fishes, octopi, squids, crabs and tritons; also harbor seals and carrion (Ref. 247). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205), with 300 pups in a litter (Ref. 247), length at birth about 42 cm or less (Ref. 26346). The flesh contains a type of toxin which, when eaten, produces symptoms of drunkenness (Ref. 583). Possibly reaches lengths greater than 700 cm (Ref. 247).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Yano, K., J.D. Stevens and L.J.V. Compagno, 2004. A review of the systematics of the sleeper shark genus Somniosus with redescriptions of Somniosus (Somniosus) antarcticus and Somniosus (Rhinoscymnus) longus (Squaliformes: Somniosidae). Ichthyol. Res. 51:360-373.

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)

Data deficient (DD)

Threat to humans

Harmless (Ref. 6871)

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest

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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5313 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00660 (-0.13431 - 0.14752), b=3.08298 (2.99742 - 3.16854), based on LWR estimates for species & family-BS (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 4.3 ±0.5 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec=300; assuming tm<=10).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (87 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Somniosus pacificus Bigelow & Schroeder, 1944