Atlantic sixgill shark
The Atlantic sixgill shark (Hexanchus vitulus) is a rare species of hexanchid shark found in the Atlantic Ocean. It was formerly described as its own species, but was fused eventually with the bigeye sixgill shark (Hexanchus nakamurai). However, a study published in 2018 resurrected the species on the basis of molecular data. The species can be physically differentiated from the bigeye sixgill by its much smaller size.[1][2] The Atlantic sixgill shark (Hexanchus vitulus) becomes sexually mature at around 1.40 to 1.75 meters. They do not reach lengths much greater than 180 cm. [3]
| Atlantic sixgill shark | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Order: | Hexanchiformes |
| Family: | Hexanchidae |
| Genus: | Hexanchus |
| Species: | H. vitulus |
| Binomial name | |
| Hexanchus vitulus Springer and Waller, 1969 | |
 | |
| Distribution of Hexanchus vitulus (red) and Hexanchus nakamurai (blue) | |
References
- "Cryptic New Species of Shark Identified: Atlantic Sixgill Shark | Biology | Sci-News.com". Breaking Science News | Sci-News.com. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- "New species of shark discovered through genetic testing". Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- Springer, S., & Waller, R. A. (1969). Hexanchus vitulus, a new sixgill shark from the Bahamas. Bulletin of Marine Science, 19(1), 159-174.
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