Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. A shark with a short, pointed snout, small eyes, protruding spike-like teeth, and small, equal-sized dorsal and anal fins; first dorsal closer to pectoral than to pelvic fins (Ref. 5578). Grey above, paler below (Ref. 6586); may have red spots on sides (Ref. 5578).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Elasmobranchii

Order: Lamniformes

Family: Odontaspididae

Genus: Odontaspis

Species: Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Found on or near the bottom of the continental and insular shelves and upper slopes (Ref. 6871); sometimes in shallow water (Ref. 6871). Tagging showed the species dives up to 2,000 m at Malpelo Island, Colombia (S.Bessudo, pers.comm. 06/09). Feeds on small bony fishes, squids, and crustaceans (Ref. 13568). Uses its long body cavity and large, oily liver to regulate buoyancy. Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother (Ref. 50449). Not implicated in attacks on people (Ref. 247). Flesh utilized for human consumption and liver for its high squalene content (Ref. 247); utilization of fins, jaws and cartilage (Ref.58048).

Habitat

benthopelagic