This Data Deficient (yes, that's what the IUCN has them listed as: DD) is a rare deepwater dogfish that... well, to be honest, we know very little about. Also known as the "Black Gulper Shark," and the "Longnose Gulper Shark," this shark is known in the scientific world as Centrophorus isodon. They are a very distinctive looking shark. Small gill slits, black mouth (and tongue!!), and blackish grey all over, they have two large dorsal fins and otherwise look like any sluggish shark. It's that black mouth/tongue combo that gets me. They have been observed sporadically in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, found swimming about on the continental and insular slopes up to 770 metres deep. The blackfin gulper shark can get up to a maximum size of 93 cm total length (TL; the smallest recorded was around 32.5 cm) and... well, yeah. That's basically all we have on these animals. It can be assumed that like other Centrophorus sharks they are viviparous with yolk-sac and have low fecundity (animals with low fecundity produce fewer offspring). HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THESE animals?GLOSSARY
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AuthorTFUI Founder Melissa C. Marquez is author of all animal bios and "Behind the Fins" segments. SEE MELISSA'S TEDx TALK HERE:
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