Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Squaliformes (Sleeper and dogfish sharks) >
Somniosidae (Sleeper sharks)
Etymology: Scymnodalatias: scymno-, referring to previous placement in Scymnodon; dalatias, referring to lack of dorsal spines like most sharks in the family Dalatiidae (sometimes included within Somniosidae). (See ETYFish); sherwoodi: In honor of C. W. Sherwood, who discovered the shark washed up on a beach in Canterbury, New Zealand, and presented it to the local museum. (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic. Subtropical; 42°S - 44°S
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Southwest Pacific: New Zealand. Possibly occurring off Australia (Ref. 6871).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 80.3 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 247)
Dorsal spines (total): 0. Dark brown or black with a grey blaze on the back behind the eyes (Ref. 26346). Scymnodon-like, but with no dorsal spines and the first dorsal fin slightly more posterior than in Scymnodon species; snout somewhat flattened, not bulbous, lower teeth with very high, erect or semi-erect cusps, distal blades and no serrations, first dorsal on middle of back behind pectoral fins, caudal fin asymmetrical, with a short lower lobe, fins without prominent light edges (Ref. 247).
A rare species (Ref. 26346) presumably inhabiting the insular slope of New Zealand (Ref. 247). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).
Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 1 - Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/1):1-249. Rome, FAO. (Ref. 247)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5625 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00168 - 0.00901), b=3.13 (2.94 - 3.32), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 15 [3, 74] mg/100g; Iron = 0.552 [0.142, 1.667] mg/100g; Protein = 19.7 [17.4, 22.0] %; Omega3 = 0.27 [0.10, 0.78] g/100g; Selenium = 27.5 [7.9, 98.4] μg/100g; VitaminA = 31.4 [7.8, 139.6] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.658 [0.308, 1.290] mg/100g (wet weight);