Species: Chlamydoselachus anguineus, Frill Shark, Lizard Shark

Chlamydoselachus anguineus Garman, 1884

Frill Shark, Lizard Shark

Elongated eel–shaped body, with a pair of longitudinal keels on ventral surface of belly; head flattened, its length 13-16% TL; snout extremely short; eyes over mid-mouth; a prominent horizontal groove above the upper lip extends below the nostrils and eyes to the cheek; mouth long, terminal, teeth and mouth edges exposed when mouth is closed; teeth alike in both jaws, widespaced, with three cusps and two cusplets on crown; 19-28 upper teeth rows, 21-29 lower teeth rows; six gill slits, all before pectorals, lower ends of 1st pair connected under throat; septa between gills enlarged and frilly; pectoral fins rounded and much smaller than pelvic fins; pelvic fins with broadly rounded margin; dorsal fin very low, rounded, and elongated, at rear of body, its insertion just before upper caudal–fin origin; anal fin broad–based and rounded, larger than dorsal fin, its insertion at the lower caudal–fin origin; tail base very short and compressed; tail fin with a vestigial subterminal notch, no lower lobe; lateral trunk denticles with spike–like crowns.

Dark chocolate brown, brownish grey to brownish black.

Reaches 196 cm

Bentho-pelagic

Depth range 30-1500m; usually at 500-1000 m, migrates vertically.

Worldwide in tropical to temperate areas; the Carolinas to Surinam.