Prickly Shark

About the Prickly Shark

The Echinorhinus cookei, or Prickly Shark, is identified by its large, thorn-like denticles on the body. This rare, deepwater shark is found from 11 to 1100 metres deep in the Western Pacific Ocean off Japan, Taiwan, Palau, Australia and New Zealand, and in the Eastern Pacific off Hawaii, USA, Gulf of California, and from Costa Rica to Peru and Chile. They are also reported to be found in Nicaragua.

The Prickly Shark is a large, sluggish shark that could reach up to 400 cm long. Females mature between 250 and 300 cm while some males mature by 198 cm. Mating occurs by distinct pairing with embrace and females are ovoviviparous, with up to 114 pups in a litter. Each pup is born at 40-45 cm long.

The Prickly Shark is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Redlist for Endangered Species. They appear to be quite vulnerable to deepwater trawling and line fishing and, as these fishing activities increase, there is potential for ongoing reduction of these species. There is also no conservation methods currently in place.

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