Cow and Frilled Sharks – Hexanchiformes

Hexanchiformes are the most primitive living sharks in the world. They only have one dorsal fin and have six or seven gills. Another characteristic of hexanchiformes is that unlike most sharks, they don’t have a nictitating membrane, which is a translucent eyelid that protects the eye. Some popular sharks in this order are the are the @frilled shark and the @sixgill shark.

All Sharks In This Order:

Bigeyed Sixgill Shark

Family: Hexanchidae | Genus: Hexanchus | CITES: Not Listed | IUCN: Near Threatened

The Bigeyed Sixgill Shark is a rare deepwater cow shark often misidentified as the larger Bluntnose Sixgill Shark. Very little is known about this shark, with a poor knowledge of its distribution and no knowledge of population trends. Description and… read more.

Bluntnose Sixgill Shark

Family: Hexanchidae | Genus: Hexanchus | CITES: Not Listed | IUCN: Near Threatened

The bluntnose sixgill shark is a widely distributed species of cow shark. It is found in temperate, tropical and boreal waters around the continental shelves and upper slopes of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. It occurs from the surface… read more.

Broadnose Sevengill Shark

Family: Hexanchidae | Genus: Notorynchus | CITES: Not Listed | IUCN: Data Deficient

The Broadnose sevengill shark is a large seven-gilled — the most gills in any shark — cowshark with a wide head and short, blunt snout. They are related to sharks that lived in the Jurassic Period about 300 million years… read more.

Frilled Shark

Family: Chlamydoselachidae | Genus: Chlamydoselachus | CITES: Not Listed | IUCN: Least Concern

The Frilled Shark is a deep-water shark. It has been called a “living fossil” because of its similarity to prehistoric sharks. Its elongated body makes it look like a mix between an eel and a shark. Its name comes from… read more.

Sharpnose Sevengill Shark

Family: Hexanchidae | Genus: Heptranchias | CITES: Not Listed | IUCN: Near Threatened

The sharpnose sevengill shark is  a relatively uncommon species of cow shark found in deep water all over the world. It is an uncommon species but it’s widespread. It feeds on pelagic fishes, squids and crustaceans. The maximum size it… read more.

Southern African Frilled Shark

Family: Chlamydoselachidae | Genus: Chlamydoselachus | CITES: Not Listed | IUCN: Least Concern

The Southern African frilled shark is a rare deep sea shark with a long snake-like body and a broad, flattened head. They are dark grey in colour, but are covered with a thin membrane of mucus that makes them seem… read more.

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