Sharpnose sevengill shark

Heptranchias perlo

Sharks and rays
IUCN: Near threatened

Usual depth200–579 m
Water temperature8–29 °C
Best monthsJune, July, and October
How commonOccasional

About this species

The sharpnose sevengill shark, also known as one-finned shark, perlon shark, sevengill cow shark, sharpsnouted sevengill or slender sevengill, is a species of shark in the family Hexanchidae, and the only living species in the genus Heptranchias. Found almost circumglobally in deep water, it is one of the few species of sharks with seven pairs of gill slits as opposed to the usual five. The other shark species with seven gill slits is the broadnose sevengill shark. Though small, this shark is an active, voracious predator of invertebrates and fish. When caught, this species is notably defensive and will attempt to bite. It is of minor commercial importance.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Sharpnose sevengill shark”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 6 records
February: 35 records
March: 27 records
April: 28 records
May: 43 records
June: 65 records
July: 73 records
August: 32 records
September: 47 records
October: 55 records
November: 31 records
December: 29 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 200–579 m · Deepest record: 3,148 m

20–30 m: 1 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 1 records
50–60 m: 2 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 2 records
80–90 m: 1 records
90–100 m: 1 records
100–110 m: 2 records
110–120 m: 1 records
120–130 m: 3 records
130+ m: 600 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 8–29 °C

6–8 °C: 1 records
8–10 °C: 0 records
10–12 °C: 11 records
12–14 °C: 13 records
14–16 °C: 45 records
16–18 °C: 39 records
18–20 °C: 80 records
20–22 °C: 112 records
22–24 °C: 46 records
24–26 °C: 25 records
26–28 °C: 16 records
28–30 °C: 13 records

Names and classification

English: Sharpnose sevengill shark, Narrowhead Seven-gill Shark, One-finned Shark, Perlon Shark, Sevengill Cow Shark, Seven-gilled Mediterranean shark, Seven-gill shark, sharpnose sevengill shark, Sharpnose seven-gill shark, Sharpnose sevengill shark, Seven-gill Shark, Sharpsnouted Sevengill, Sharpsnout Seven-gill Shark, Sharpsnout Sevengill Shark, Slender Sevengill, Slender Sevengill Shark

Names in 6 more languages

German: Aschfarbener siebenspalthai, Kammzähner, Perlon, Spitzkopf-Perlonhai, Spitzkopf-Siebenkiemenhai, Spitzkopfsiebenkiemer, Spitzkopf-Siebenkiemerhai
Spanish: Boca dolça, Bocadû, Bocadul, Bocadulce, boquidulce, Boquidulce, Cañabota, Cañabota bocadulce, Cañabota ojidulce, Peix xovato, tiburón de 7 branchias, tiburón de siete branquias
French: Monge gris, Mounge, Perlon, Pesciu angiu, Pesciu boiu, Pesciu mansu, Requin-griset, requin perlon, Requin perlon
Japanese: Edoaburazame, エドアブラザメ
Thai: ปลาฉลามปากจิ้งจก
Simplified Chinese: 七鰓沙, 尖吻七鰓鯊, 尖頭七鰓鮫, 尖頭七鰓鯊, 油棘

Other scientific names: Heptranchias angio, Heptranchias cinereus, Heptranchias dakini, Heptranchias deani, Heptranchus perlo, Heptrancus angio, Notidanus cinereus, Squalus cinereus, Squalus perlo

Similar species

Bigeye sixgill shark
Hexanchus nakamurai

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
917 open-data records from 1788 to 2024.

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