Hexanchus

Hexanchus
Temporal range: 196–0 Ma

Sinemurian to present[1]

Bluntnose sixgill shark
(Hexanchus griseus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Superorder: Selachimorpha
Order: Hexanchiformes
Family: Hexanchidae
Genus: Hexanchus
Rafinesque, 1810
Species

See text.

The sixgill sharks are a genus, Hexanchus, of deepwater sharks in the family Hexanchidae. These sharks are characterized by a broad, pointed head, six pairs of gill slits, comb-like, yellow lower teeth, and a long tail. It can grow up to 8 m long and weigh over 600 kg (1320 lb).[2] They are abyssal plain scavengers with a keen sense of smell and are among the first to arrive at carrion, together with hagfish and rattails. They show a characteristic rolling motion of the head when feeding. They have been found at depths to 2,500 ft (760 m).

Extant species

Extinct species

Fossil teeth of Hexanchus andersoni from Jurassic

See also

References

  1. Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera (Chondrichthyes entry)". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  2. Kindersley, Dorling (2001,2005). Animal. New York City: DK Publishing. ISBN 0-7894-7764-5. Check date values in: |date= (help)
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