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
  1. "Cryptic New Species of Shark Identified: Atlantic Sixgill Shark | Biology | Sci-News.com". Breaking Science News | Sci-News.com. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  2. "New species of shark discovered through genetic testing". Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  3. 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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