The Little Gulper shark (Centrophorus uyato) is a small, deepwater shark belonging to the family Centrophoridae.
Family: Centrophoridae – Gulper Sharks
Genus: Centrophorus
Species: uyato
Phylum– Chordata
Class– Chondrichthyles
Subclass– Elasmobranchii
Common Name– Dogfish Sharks
Family– Centrophoridae
Common Name– Gulpher Sharks
Genus– Centrophorus
Species– uyato
Status: IUCN Red List DATA DEFICIENT
Average Size and Length: Males are typically mature at around 2.6 feet long. The maximum recorded length has been 3.6 feet.
Average Weight: The maximum recorded weight is 7.3 kg or 16 pounds.
Teeth and Jaw: The teeth differ in the upper and lower jaws.
Head: They have a long, narrow snout and large eyes.
Denticles: The dermal denticles are somewhat small and flat.
Tail: The caudal fin is notched.
Demographic, Distribution, Habitat, Environment and Range: The Little Gulper shark lives in the northern Gulf of Mexico, the eastern Atlantic from Spain south to the Cape of Good Hope, the Mediterranean west of Sicily, the western Indian Ocean around Mozambique, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal around India, and possibly Taiwan. They are considered bathydemersal with a depth range between 164-4,593 feet. They typically stay on the outer continental shelves and upper slopes, on or near the bottom.
Diet: They eat bony fish and squid.
Aesthetic Identification: The Little Gulper shark is small and slender. They are brownish-grey above and lighter below. There are darker areas of coloration above gills and on dorsal fins. The first dorsal fin is short and the second dorsal fin is high. It has a slightly humped back just before the first dorsal fin. Both dorsal fins have spines. There are long free rear tips on the pectoral fins. There is no anal fin.
Biology and Reproduction: The Little Gulper shark is ovoviviparous with usually only one pup per litter. They are born typically between 1.3-1.6 feet.
Behavioral Traits, Sensing and Intelligence: Unknown.
Little Gulper Shark Future and Conservation: Their meat is typically dried and salted for human consumption and probably for fishmeal and liver oil. There really isn’t enough data to evaluate them.
Little Gulper Shark Recorded Attacks on Humans: Not a threat to humans.