Species: Centrophorus granulosus, Large Gulper Shark

Centrophorus granulosus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Large Gulper Shark

Snout short, thick, angular, distance before mouth < distance from mouth to pectoral fins; no nictitating eyelids; spiracles present, large, just behind eye; top teeth straight to slightly oblique, triangular, with narrow points, lower teeth larger, broader, with oblique narrowly triangular tips; five gill slits, all before pectoral fin; two dorsal fins with small grooved spines, spine of second dorsal is larger; first dorsal slightly larger than second dorsal, angular in shape, its origin just behind rear of pectoral base; both dorsals high and angular, with slightly convex rear margins; space between second dorsal fin origin and upper tail fin origin 6.1 to 8.0% of TL; free rear tips of pectorals long, extending past first dorsal fin spine; no anal fin; no ridges behind pelvic fins; tail base without keels; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, upper lobe with notch under tip, deep lower lobe, with a shallow notch above it; skin denticles on flank broad, rhomboidal, with flattened crowns, widely spaced and not overlapping.

Dark grey to grey-brown on top, with scattered white dots, lighter below; dark around mouth.

Size: 110 cm.

Habitat: outer continental shelve and slopes near the bottom.

Depth:50-1440 m.

Found on both sides of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, W Indian Ocean and W Pacific. Virginia to Suriname