The sixgill sawshark is a species of sawshark living in the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Sixgill Sawshark Scientific Classification |
|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Chondrichthyes |
| Order | Pristiophoriformes |
| Family | Pristiophoridae |
| Genus | Pliotrema |
| Scientific Name | P. warreni |
Description
A male sixgill sawshark reaches 3.6 ft in length at maximum, while a female shark does so at about 4.5 ft. Unlike other sawsharks, the barbs present on its rostrum continue onto either side of the shark’s head.
Where do they live
The exact range of this shark is yet to be determined, with the general location being around the Indo-Atlantic waters between latitudes 23° S and 37° S. Sightings include South Africa, southern Mozambique, and southeast Madagascar.
These sharks prefer temperate and subtropical waters and swim between depths of 121 and 1,640 feet.
Behavior
Hunting
They use their barbels and electric senses to determine the location of a suitable meal. This shark will then overcome its prey by assaulting it with the barbs on its rostrum.
The sixgill shark feeds on cephalopods, crustaceans, and small fish.
Reproductive
These sharks give live birth to a litter of 5-7 pups. At birth, newborns are 13.7 inches long, with males becoming sexually mature at 32.6 inches and females doing so at 43.3 inches.
Interactions with humans
The IUCN classifies this shark as “Least Concern” or “LC”. This is because they are not at risk of overfishing.
