Centrophorus squamosus
Leafscale Gulper Shark
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fishes)
Squaliformes (Dogfish Sharks)
Centrophoridae (Gulper Sharks)
Centrophorus
Centrophorus squamosus (Leafscale Gulper Shark)
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: elongated. A large gulper shark with a short, broad snout, a long, low 1st dorsal fin, short pectoral rear tips, and large, rough, leaf-like denticles (Ref. 5578). Dark grey or chocolate brown in color (Ref. 5578).
Distribution
Atlantic, Indian, west and southeast Pacific Oceans.
Habitat Associations
Marine. bathydemersal. depth range 145-2400 m.
Biology
Found on or near the bottom of continental slopes; also found pelagically in the upper 1,250 m of water 4,000 m deep (Ref. 31367). Presumably feeds on fish and cephalopods (Ref. 6871). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Utilized and fishmeal and dried salted for human consumption (Ref. 247); meat and fins (low value) and liver oil (very high value), and occasionally for its mature eggs (Ref.58048).
Max length: 164.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: internal (oviduct); bearers (internal live bearers). Ovoviviparous, embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Young numbers 5-8 in a litter (Ref. 6871). Size at birth 35-43 cm (Ref. 26346). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (EN), assessed 2024-02-27. Resilience: Low (tmax=71; K=0.04-0.05; Fec=5-8).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial.
References
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
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.
Compagno, L.J.V., D.A. Ebert and M.J. Smale (1989) Guide to the sharks and rays of southern Africa. New Holland (Publ.) Ltd., London. 158 p.
Last, P.R. and J.D. Stevens (1994) Sharks and rays of Australia. CSIRO, Australia. 513 p.
Ebert, D.A., L.J.V. Compagno and P.D. Cowley (1992) A preliminary investigation of the feeding ecology of squaloid sharks off the west coast of southern Africa. S. Afr. J. mar Sci. 12:601-609.
Cortés, E. (1999) Standardized diet compositions and trophic levels of sharks. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 56:707-717.
White, W.T., P.R. Last, J.D. Stevens, G.K. Yearsley, Fahmi and Dharmadi (2006) Economically important sharks and rays of Indonesia. [Hiu dan pari yang bernilai ekonomis penting di Indonesia]. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia.
Ebert, D.A., S. Fowler and M. Dando (2021) Sharks of the World: A complete guide. Princeton University Press, 607 p. DOI: 10.1515/9780691210872
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