Somniosidae

Family Somniosidae

Centroscymnus coelolepis Barbosa du Bocage & de Brito Capello, 1864—Portuguese dogfish.

318 specimens were caught at depths between 749 and 1,685 m. Length data were available for 306 specimens ranging from 78 to 120 cm TL (107.3±7.5), with males between 83 and 100 cm (91.8±3.3, N=34) and females between 78 and 120 cm (109.2±5.3, N=272). The main biological data of the specimens of C. coelolepis caught in Galician waters, including the Galicia Bank, was previously reported by Bañón et al. (2006a). Habitat and Distribution: bathydemersal, inhabits continental and insular slopes and abyssal plains, on or near the bottom at depths of 128–3,675 m, but mostly below 400 m depth. Widely distributed in the Atlantic, including western Mediterranean Sea and Indian and Pacific oceans. Vulnerability: EN (IUCN), HV (FishBase), VU (OSPAR).

Centroselachus crepidater (Barbosa du Bocage & de Brito Capello, 1864)—Longnose velvet dogfish.

14 specimens were caught at depths between 823 and 1,024 m. Length data were available for one male of 58 cm TL and 11 females between 74 and 88 cm TL. Habitat and Distribution: bathydemersal, occurs along upper continental and insular slopes on or near the bottom at depths of 200 to 1,500 m. Eastern Atlantic, from Iceland to South Africa and scattered distribution throughout the Indo –Pacific and eastern South Pacific from coast off of Chile. Vulnerability: LC (IUCN), VHV (FishBase).

Scymnodon ringens Barbosa du Bocage & de Brito Capello, 1864—Knifetooth dogfish

366 specimens were caught at depths between 712 and 1,470 m. Length data were available for 185 specimens ranging from 25 to 110 cm TL (69.5±23.2), with males between 26 and 84 cm (53.3±14.3, N=46) and females between 25 and 110 cm (78±22.1, N=125). Habitat and Distribution: usually mesopelagic, although captured most often near the bottom at depths from 200 to 1,600 m. Eastern Atlantic: from Scotland to Mauritania, and Senegal. One specimen recorded in the South Pacific Ocean. Vulnerability: DD (IUCN), HV (FishBase).

Somniosus rostratus (Risso, 1827) —Little sleeper shark

17 specimens were caught at depths between 822 and 1,119 m. Length data were recorded for all specimens ranging from 76 to 126 cm TL, with males between 76 and 106 cm (N=7) and females between 89 and 126 cm (N=10). Habitat and Distribution: outer continental shelves and upper slopes, occurring on or near the bottom at depths between 180 and 2,200 m. Eastern Atlantic: France, Portugal, and Madeira Islands, and the western Mediterranean Sea. Western Central Atlantic: possibly off Cuba. Vulnerability: DD (IUCN), VHV (FishBase).