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Centrophorus moluccensis (Smallfin gulper
shark)
Bleeker, 1860
Life
> Eukaryotes >
Opisthokonta
> Metazoa (animals) >
Bilateria >
Deuterostomia > Chordata >
Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates) > Gnathostomata (jawed
vertebrates) > Chondrichthyes > Elasmobranchii >
Squalomorphii >
Squaliformes >
Centrophoridae
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Centrophorus moluccensis (Smallfin gulper
shark) [Illustration
by Ann Hecht ©] |
Identification
A small, slender
gulper shark with a long, narrow snout, a shortbased 1 st dorsal
fin and a very small 2nd dorsal fin; pectoral rear tips
elongated;denticles small and flat. Colour light grey.
Size
Up to 98 cm TL.
Range
Eastcoast
off Natal and southern Mozambique; elsewhere, widespread in the
Indian and western Pacific oceans.
Habitat
Outer shelf and
upper slope on or near thebottom, at depths of 250-823 m.
Biology
Very common off
Natal. Feeds primarily on bony fish including lanternfish, bramids,
caragids, worm-eels, bonito, hai, rtail and oilfish, also other
dogfish sharks, squid, octopus and shrimp. Bears 2 young.
Human impact
Fished to a
limited extent for liver oil off Natal and elsewhere.
Text by Leonard J.V. Compagno, David A. Ebert
and Malcolm J. Smale |
