Sixgill sawshark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sixgill sawshark |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pliotrema
|
| Species: |
warreni
|
 |
|
| Range of sixgill sawshark shark (in blue) | |
The sixgill sawshark (scientific name: Pliotrema warreni) is a unique type of sawshark. It belongs to the Pristiophoridae family. What makes this shark special is that it has six pairs of gill slits. Most sharks only have five!
This shark also has a long, flat snout called a rostrum. It looks a bit like a saw blade. Unlike other sawsharks, the sharp points on its snout go all the way to the sides of its head. It also has special whiskers, called barbels, that are closer to its mouth than in other sawshark species. Female sixgill sawsharks can grow to be over 136 centimeters (about 4.5 feet) long. Males are a bit smaller, reaching over 112 centimeters (about 3.7 feet).
Contents
Where Sixgill Sawsharks Live
The sixgill sawshark lives in the western Indian Ocean. You can find them in both warm and mild waters. They live in depths from about 37 meters (120 feet) down to 500 meters (1,640 feet).
These sharks prefer to live near the ocean floor. This area is called the benthic zone. Sometimes they swim just above the bottom, which is the benthopelagic zone. Younger sharks tend to stay in shallower waters. Older, adult sharks usually gather in deeper parts of the ocean.
How Sixgill Sawsharks Behave
Sixgill sawsharks are clever hunters. They use their sensitive barbels, which are like whiskers, to feel around. They also have a special "electric sense" called ampullae of Lorenzini. This helps them find hidden prey. Once they find their meal, they use their saw-like snout to stun or injure it.
Their diet includes small fish, crabs, and squids. The only known animal that hunts the sixgill sawshark is the tiger shark. However, other large sharks probably hunt them too.
Sixgill Sawshark Reproduction
Like other sawsharks, the sixgill sawshark is ovoviviparous. This means the mother carries her eggs inside her body. The babies hatch inside and then are born live. Scientists believe they have babies once a year. A mother usually gives birth to about five to seven pups at a time. It's possible they travel to shallower waters near the coast to have their babies.
When they are born, the pups are about 35 centimeters (14 inches) long. Males become adults when they are around 83 centimeters (33 inches) long. Females mature when they are about 110 centimeters (43 inches) long.
Protecting Sixgill Sawsharks
The sixgill sawshark is listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List. This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. People do not usually hunt these sharks on purpose. However, they are often caught by accident in fishing nets. This is called "by-catch." When this happens, they are usually thrown back into the ocean.
Because they live so deep in the ocean, sixgill sawsharks are not considered a threat to people.
See also
- List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish
