FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

1224 Sharks
Centrophorus niaukang Teng, 1959
En - Taiwan gulper shark; Fr - Squale-chagrin quelvacho; Sp - Quelvacho chino.
Maximum total length at least 1.6 m, probably the largest gulper shark. On the outer continental
shelves and upper slopes at depths from 250 to 720 m and probably deeper. Bottom-dwelling; little
known. Taken in bottom trawls and on deep-set longlines; utilized for fishmeal and for human
consumption. North Atlantic, southwestern Indian Ocean from South Africa and Mozambique,
possibly the Maldives, and western Pacific from Japan, South China Sea in the northwestern part
of the area, and probably Australia. Often confused with Centrophorus granulosus and C. lusitanicus.
Centrophorus squamosus (Bonnaterre, 1788)
En - Leafscale gulper shark; Fr - Squale-chagrin de l’Atlantique; Sp - Quelvacho negro.
Maximum total length about 1.6 m. On the continental slopes at depths from 230 to 2 400 m near
the bottom, also pelagically in the upper 1 250 m of water 4 000 m deep. Caught with bottom trawls,
line gear, and fixed bottom nets; dried and salted for human consumption, also used for fishmeal.
Eastern Atlantic from Iceland to South Africa, western Indian Ocean (South Africa, Aldabra Islands)
and western Pacific from Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand, and southeastern Australia.
Cirrhigaleus barbifer Tanaka, 1912
En - Mandarin dogfish; Fr - Squale moustache; Sp - Tollo mandarín.
Maximum total length about 1.26 m. On or near the bottom of the uppermost continental and insular
slopes, and probably the outer continental-insular shelves at depths of 146 to 640 m. Probably feeds
mostly on bottom fishes and some invertebrates. High in squalene oil, but at present not utilized
commercially. Western Pacific from Japan, Torres Island, New Zealand, and Australia (New South
Wales).