[2] It is found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide and its diet is widely varied by region. They have one dorsal fin located near the base of the tail. It has a broad, flat head, large green eyes, and a … SRI conducts and sponsors rigorous, peer-reviewed field research about sharks and uses science-based information to educate and advocate for shark conservation policies and protections by the world’s gov 1. They move north during the winter and spring and south during the summer and fall. At around midnight to 3am, the 4 sharks swam up to a minimum depth of 300m whereas at about noon, they reached their maximum depth of between 600 to 700m. The Sixgill shark is one of the primitive species of sharks with close relatives that dated back to roughly 200 million years ago. Through their base pairs of mitochondrial genes COI and ND2, these 2 species of sixgills widely differ from one another. They have large, green eyes and broad comb-like teeth on each side of the lower jaw arranged in 6 rows. Rarely Seen Sharks :: MarineBio Video Library Sixgill or bluntnose sixgill sharks, Hexanchus griseus (Bonnaterre, 1788), have a number of common names. Adult males generally average between 3.1 and 3.3 m (10 and 11 ft), while adult females average between 3.5 and 4.2 m (11 and 14 ft). As a member of the family Hexanchidae, it has more close relatives in the fossil record than living relatives. The pupils are black and the eye color is afluorescent blue-green. Six gill slits. The bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) has a body form straight out of the Triassic Period, some 200 million years ago. Bluntnose sixgills are often curious around divers, making fairly close passes. It is found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide and its diet is widely varied by region. The positive buoyancy can help the sharks to hunt stealthily by approaching prey from below undetected since the upward gliding permits minimal movement. A heavily-bodied, broad-headed sixgill shark, mouth ventral with 6 rows of lower, bladelike, comb-shaped teeth on each side (Ref. Sixgill or bluntnose sixgill sharks, Hexanchus griseus (Bonnaterre, 1788), have a number of common names. Hexanchus griseus. The Bluntnose Sixgill has eyes that glow a florescent blue-green. 2002), such as the presence of six gill slits as well as a single dorsal fin (all other shark species found in Canadian Pacific waters, with the exception of the Broadnose Sevengill Shark (Notorynchus cepedianus), have a second dorsal fin). The related living species include the dogfish, the Greenland shark, and other six- and seven-gilled sharks. General body shape - These sharks have long and fairly slender bodies. The bluntnose sixgill shark resembles many of the fossil sharks from the Triassic period. Pectoral fin posterior margins not falcate. 6871). The bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus), often known by its alternate name of cow shark, is the largest hexanchiform shark, growing to 26 feet (7.9 m) in length. [4], An adult bluntnose sixgill shark was recently seen at a depth of 259 m (854.7 ft) in the Philippines, for example. It has a light-colored lateral line down the sides and on the fins' edges, and darker colored spots on the sides. In the second game, they are aggressive. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. It has not been uncommon to see boats on the Bay loaded “to the gunwales” with fishermen to justify the number of poles aboard. The Bluntnose Sixgill Shark is easily recognizable with characteristics not often found in other shark species (Mecklenburg et al. Skin color ranges from tan, through brown, to black. Hexanchus griseus Bluntnose Sixgill Shark. The bluntnose sixgill is a specific species of sixgill sharks, of genus Hexanchus, a genus that also consists of another species: the bigeye sixgill shark (Hexanchus nakamurai). The Bluntnose Sixgill may be the most widely distributed of all sharks, rivalled only by the White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) Habitat benthic on continental and insular shelves and upper slopes, from the surface and the intertidal down to a depth of at least 8,200 feet (2 500 metres) The species name griseus is derived from Latin, meaning gray. The Bluntnose Sixgill shark is a primitive, common, and distinctive shark that has six gills on each side of the body (most sharks have five pairs on each side of the face). 1. Uses of fins may exist but are unreported. It is taken by handline, longline, gillnet, traps, trammel net, and both pelagic and bottom-trawls. Although sluggish in nature, the bluntnose sixgill shark is capable of attaining high speeds for chasing and catching its prey using its powerful tail. Additionally, it has been used for salted and dried food products, as well as fish meal and pet foods. The Bluntnose Sixgill Shark is often simply called the cow shark, is the largest hexanchoid shark, growing to more than 5.4 m (18 ft) in length.. I made a couple of trips there and actually managed to see one, if only for a few brief seconds before it returned to deep water. Then I heard reports of them further up the east coast, and then on the west coast at Tahsis Inlet. In Des Moines has been seen off the coasts of North America Jose Castro postulates that there be. You consent to the bluntnose sixgill shark eyes Hexanchidae stored in your browser only with your.. Or other contributing photographers 2 ] it is mandatory to procure user prior... Sac while remaining inside the mother meet seasonally between may and November living.! 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