FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Hexanchidae 1209
2a. Lower jaw with 6 rows of large comb-like teeth on each side; dorsal-fin base separated
from upper caudal-fin origin by a distance about equal to, or slightly greater than its
length (Fig. 2); size very large, up to 4.8 m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hexanchus griseus
2b. Lower jaw with 5 rows of large comb-like teeth on each side; dorsal-fin base separated
from upper caudal-fin origin by a distance much greater that its length (Fig. 3); size
smaller, up to 1.8 m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hexanchus nakamurai
6 gill
slits
Fig. 2 Hexanchus griseus
List of species occurring in the area
The symbol is given when species accounts are included.
Heptranchias perlo (Bonnaterre, 1788)
Hexanchus griseus (Bonnaterre, 1788)
Hexanchus nakamurai Teng, 1962
Fig. 3 Hexanchus nakamurai
(after Last and Stevens, 1994)
References
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)Vol.4,Pt.1: 249 p.
Ebert, D.A. 1990. The taxonomy, biogeography and biology of cow and frilled sharks (Chondrichthyes:Hexanchiformes).
Unpublished Ph.D. thesis. Grahamstown, Rhodes University, 308 pp.
Last, P.R. and J.D. Stevens. 1993. Sharks and rays of Australia. Australia, CSIRO, 513 p.
Springer, S. and R.A. Waller. 1969. “Hexanchus vitulus”, a new sixgill shark from the Bahamas. Bull. Mar. Sci.,
19(1):159-174.
6 gill
slits