Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Flat, bladelike, elongated snout, tiny eyes without nictitating eyelids, soft, flabby body, slender, very long cusped teeth in long, protrusible jaws, long caudal fin without a ventral lobe (Ref. 247). Pinkish-white with bluish fins, becoming brownish grey after death (Ref. 5578, 11228).
Common Names
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Elasmobranchii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Mitsukurinidae
Genus: Mitsukurina
Species: Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898
Climate Zone
Biology
Found on outer continental shelves and upper slopes, but rarely in shallow water close inshore (Ref. 247, 43278). Jaws are highly specialized for rapid projection from the head to snap up small animals (Ref. 247). Feeds on jacopever, pelagic octopus and crabs (Ref. 5578). Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother (Ref. 50449). Probably slow-moving and neutrally buoyant (Ref. 6871). Utilized dried salted (Ref. 247)
Habitat
bathydemersal
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Threat to Humans
Harmless
Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898