shark shark species sharks family aside found tropical temperate waters worldwide rarely encountered shark close typically depths enter shallower water shark stout body small dorsal fins positioned far anal fin readily identified large like dermal denticles scattered body fused brown black color grows long diet shark includes smaller sharks bony fishes crabs slow moving species capture viviparous females producing litters pups harmless humans occasional commercial recreational liver oil presently lacks information assess conservation status species population declined substantially northeastern atlantic 18th 19th centuries likely taxonomy original description shark authored french naturalist des nature named greek meaning depths sea type specimen lost created genus species 1960s specimens shark caught pacific_ocean sharks common names species shark shark description shark thick cylindrical body somewhat flattened head snout blunt shorter width mouth widely spaced nostrils preceded small flaps skin eyes lack membranes tiny located wide curved mouth bears short furrows corners upper lower tooth rows tooth knife like single main pairs gill slits fifth pair longest pectoral fins short angular pelvic fins long relatively large dorsal fins small dorsal fin origin lying pelvic fin origins anal fin caudal robust lacks caudal fin origins caudal fin indistinct lower lobe upper lobe notch trailing margin skin covered layer foul millimeters thick dermal denticles scattered irregularly body vary greatly size measuring like shape ridges central point base denticles fused form multi pointed plates underside snout area mouth densely covered small denticles sharks long denticles larger larger sharks species brown black metallic paler individuals red black report specimen greenish glow caught shark reach length maximum weight record long female distribution habitat records shark fairly rare originate widely scattered locations tropical temperate waters worldwide save eastern pacific_ocean come eastern atlantic western indian oceans range extends north_sea british isles southern including mediterranean_sea western atlantic species represented handful specimens massachusetts north_carolina louisiana brazil argentina known india southern japan southern australia new_zealand possibly found close sea floor shark commonly inhabits continental shelves slopes depths reported shallow areas cold water deep european waters species migrate shallower depths summer biology ecology sluggish nature shark feeds smaller sharks including bony fishes including crabs large size relative mouth suggests capture prey species viviparous females functional recorded litter sizes ranged newly born pups estimated measure long dermal denticles near term embryos appearing minute spines located open pits skin size sexual maturity uncertain smallest known mature males females long respectively human interactions shark known pose danger humans caught incidentally commercial fisheries fishing line sport eastern atlantic species processed little commercial significance liver oil highly valued south_africa medicine india oil considered poor coat discourage beetles historical accounts suggest shark numbers northeastern atlantic fallen markedly 18th 19th centuries extremely rare northern europe mediterranean decline attributed fishing pressure species highly vulnerable large deep sea sharks generally slow growth rates long species lacks sufficient data assessment
Bramble shark