Subclass Elasmobranchii Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Genus Centrophorus Higher classification Centrophorus | |
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Similar Centrophorus, Portuguese dogfish, Centroscymnus, Shark, Gulper shark | ||
The leafscale gulper shark, Centrophorus squamosus, is a dogfish of the family Centrophoridae. C. squamosus is reported to have a lifespan of approximately 70 years, based on otolith ring counts. It was the first described species in the genus Centrophorus, which now contains 13 species.
Contents
Physical characteristics
The leafscale gulper shark has no anal fin, two dorsal fins with spines, the first dorsal being relatively low and long, large eyes, and rough leaf-like denticles. Its maximum length is 158 cm.
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic around continental slopes from Iceland south to the Cape of Good Hope, Western Indian Ocean around Aldabra Islands, and western Pacific around Honshū, Japan, the Philippines, south-east Australia, and New Zealand.
Habits and habitat
The leafscale gulper shark lives near the bottom between 230 and 2,360 meters, but usually below 1,000 meters. Also occurs pelagically in much deeper water. It probably feeds on fish and cephalopods.
It is ovoviviparous with a maximum of 5 young per litter.
Its meat is utilized dried and salted for human consumption and as fishmeal.