Bluntnose sixgill shark

Hexanchus griseus

Sharks and rays
IUCN: Near threatened

Usual depth2–17 m
Water temperature10–28 °C
Best monthsAugust, September, and October
How commonCommon

Photo credit: (c) GayleIsTired, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

About this species

The bluntnose sixgill shark, often simply called the cow shark, is the largest hexanchoid shark, growing to 18 ft (5.5 m) in length. It is found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide. Its diet varies widely depending on the habitat.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Bluntnose sixgill 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: 43 records
February: 18 records
March: 17 records
April: 31 records
May: 42 records
June: 395 records
July: 749 records
August: 6,761 records
September: 10,339 records
October: 7,126 records
November: 2,831 records
December: 962 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 2–17 m · Deepest record: 1,017.5 m

0–10 m: 13,161 records
10–20 m: 7,423 records
20–30 m: 383 records
30–40 m: 2 records
40–50 m: 4 records
50–60 m: 11 records
60–70 m: 4 records
70–80 m: 4 records
80–90 m: 7 records
90–100 m: 8 records
100–110 m: 2 records
110+ m: 378 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 10–28 °C

10–12 °C: 3 records
12–14 °C: 36 records
14–16 °C: 879 records
16–18 °C: 46 records
18–20 °C: 0 records
20–22 °C: 1 records
22–24 °C: 1 records
24–26 °C: 0 records
26–28 °C: 1 records
28–30 °C: 1 records

Photos

Names and classification

English: Bluntnose sixgill shark, Sixgill shark, Six-gill shark, Six-gilled shark, Atlantic mud shark, Bluntnose sixgill, bluntnose sixgill shark, Bluntnose Six-gill Shark, Bluntnose sixgill shark, Six-gill Shark, Brown shark, Bull dog shark, Bull Shark, Cow Shark, Grey Shark, Mud Shark, six-gilled shark, six-gill shark, sixgill shark

Names in 5 more languages

German: Grauhai, Grosser Grauhai, Großer Grauhai, Notidan, Rotbraunhai, Rotgrauhai, Sechskiemerhai, Speckfisch, Stierhai, Stumpfnasen-Sechskiemerhai
Spanish: Bastriuvaca, Boca dolça, Boquidulce, Cañabota, Cañabota cañabota gris, Cañabota gris, Gato de mar, marrajo, Peix xovato, tiburón de seis branquias, Tiburon fuma, Tiburón gris
French: Arbano, Bouca douça, Bouche douce, griset, Mounge gris, Requin grisé, requin griset, Requin griset
Japanese: Kagurazame, カグラザメ
Simplified Chinese: 六鰓沙, 灰六鰓鮫, 灰六鰓鯊

Other scientific names: Hexanchus corinum, Hexanchus corinus, Monopterhinus griseus, Monopterinus griseus, Notidanus griseus, Notidanus monge, Notidanus vulgaris, Squalus griseus, Squalus vacca

Similar species

Bigeye sixgill shark
Hexanchus nakamurai
Sixgill shark
Hexanchus vitulus
Sharpnose sevengill shark
Heptranchias perlo

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).
39,717 open-data records from 1788 to 2024.
Species data updated November 3, 2026.

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