1. Echinorhinidae Bramble and Prickly Sharks Christine Bedore

2. Taxonomy Class Condrichthyes Subclass Elasmobranchii Order Squaliformes Family Echinorhinidae (“spiny nose”) Genus Echinorhinus E. cookei- prickly shark E. brucus- bramble shark

3. Taxonomy 1 Genus, 2 species E. cookei numerous small denticles up to 4m in length E. brucus few, large denticles that form plates, large denticles on Ventral snout up to 3m in length

4. Morphological characteristics Spiracles Large gill slits 2 dorsal fins, smaller than pelvic fins; posterior Lack anal fin Short snout Broadly arched mouth Adults w/multicuspid teeth Large pelvic fins Elongate, cylindrical soft body

5. Morphological characteristics Soft bodied sharks E. brucus specimen- vetebral column uncalcified Reach maximum size 3-4 meters Little data taken on few specimens historically misidentified

6. Distinguished from Greenland shark (O. Squaliformes): dorsal fin insertion behind pelvic Morphological characteristics E. brucus Somniosus microcephalus

7. Distinguished from Greenland shark (O. Squaliformes): caudal fin not deeply forked Morphological characteristics E. brucus Somniosus microcephalus

8. Distinguished from Greenland shark (O. Squaliformes): larger gill openings Morphological characteristics E. brucus Somniosus microcephalus

9. Biology: Reproduction Not much information Aplacental ovoviviparous E. brucus- litters 15-24 young breed in April in Indian Ocean? Like most sharks, probably slow growing, late onset maturity

10. Biology: Feeding Habits Not much information Carnivorous- benthic prey smaller sharks (Squalus acanthias), hake, rockfish, herring, crab, octopus, squid May be suction feeders moderate sized mouth with large pharynx

11. Biology: Behavior Not much information Sluggish Not aggressive/harmless

12. Habitat and Distribution Not much information- poor record keeping, misidentifications Continental shelves and slopes Deep water: 11-900 meters On or near bottom Cold temperate to tropical seas worldwide Echinorhinus fossils found from Cretaceous period (144 to 65 mya) in Angola

13. Habitat and Distribution E. brucus more common in Atlantic E. cookei more common in Pacific

14. Human importance-Negative None: Not aggressive No recorded attacks Rarely found anyway

15. Human importance-Positive Little Interest in fisheries due to rarity Caught as bycatch in longline and bottom trawl fisheries Used for fishmeal Medicinal purposes in South Africa

16. Conservation status IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red List, 2001 E. brucus: “Data deficient” probably threatened due to late maturity, low fecundity, and bycatch mortality declining in Northeast Atlantic (published data) E. cookei: “Near threatened” bycatch mortality

17. Research As always…not much information Published literature focuses on describing occurrence of individual in a location E. cookei of west coast South America E. brucus east coast United States Recent literature sparse

18. Literature Cited Aguirre, H., V.J. Madrid, and J.A. Virgen. 2002. Presence of Echinorhinus cookei off central Pacific Mexico. J. Fish Biol 61:1403-1409 Antunes, M.T. and H. Cappetta. 2002. Selacians from the Cretaceous (Albian-Maastrichtian) in Angola. Palaeontographicaabteilung A- Palazoologie- Stratigraphie. 264 (5-6): 85 Bester, C. and G. Burgess. "Bramble Shark." Florida Museum of Natural History, Icthyology Department. University of Florida. Accessed online 9 Sep. 2007 at http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/BrambleShark/BrambleShark.html Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. Family Echinorhinidae. Pp. 25-27 in Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 4. Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 1, Vol. 4. Rome, United Nations Development Programme, Rome IUCN 2006. “Echinorhinus.” 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Accessed online 9 September 2007 at www.iucnredlist.orgwww.iucnredlist.org Musick, J.A. and J.D. McEachran. 1969. The squaloid shark Echinorhinus brucus off Virginia. Copeia 1969 (1): 205-206