Somniosidae
{{Short description|Family of sharks}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Sleeper sharks
| image = Somniosus microcephalus okeanos.jpg
| image_caption = Somniosus microcephalus
| taxon = Somniosidae
| authority = D. S. Jordan, 1888
| diversity = 6 genera, 20 species; See text.
}}
The Somniosidae are a family of sharks in the order Squaliformes, commonly known as sleeper sharks.{{FishBase family |family=Somniosidae |month=February |year=2011}} The common name "sleeper shark" comes from their slow swimming, low activity level, and perceived non-aggressive nature.{{cite web|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/60781/7-cool-facts-about-greenland-shark|title=7 Cool Facts About Greenland Sharks|author=Erin McCarthy|publisher=MentalFloss.com|date=December 18, 2014|access-date=August 17, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://seagrant.uaf.edu/news/00ASJ/12.08.00_SleeperShark.html|title=Sleeper Sharks Not So Sleepy|author=Bruce A. Wright|publisher=Arctic Science Journeys, University of Alaska Fairbanks|date=December 8, 2000|access-date=August 17, 2016}}
Distribution and habitat
The Somniosidae can be found in:
- Arctic to subantarctic waters
- Shelves in cold waters
- Continental and slopes
- Temperate and tropical waters{{cite web|title=Family Somniosidae - Sleeper sharks|url=http://www.fishbase.us/summary/FamilySummary.php?ID=658|publisher=Fish Base|access-date=29 December 2012}}
Diet
Beaks recovered from the stomachs of sleeper sharks suggest they feed on colossal squid.Cherel, Y. & G. Duhamel 2004. {{cite web |url= http://www.cephbase.utmb.edu/refdb/pdf/8114.pdf |title= Antarctic jaws: cephalopod prey of sharks in Kerguelen waters. }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{small|(531 KB)}} Deep-Sea Research Part I 51: 17–31.
Genera and species
- Centroscymnus Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864
- Centroscymnus coelolepis Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864 (Portuguese dogfish)
- Centroscymnus owstonii Garman, 1906 (roughskin dogfish)
- Centroselachus Garman, 1913
- Centroselachus crepidater Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864 (longnose velvet dogfish)
- Scymnodalatias Garrick, 1956
- Scymnodalatias albicauda Taniuchi & Garrick, 1986 (whitetail dogfish)
- Scymnodalatias garricki Kukuyev & Konovalenko, 1988 (Azores dogfish)
- Scymnodalatias oligodon Kukuyev & Konovalenko, 1988 (sparsetooth dogfish)
- Scymnodalatias sherwoodi Archey, 1921 (Sherwood dogfish)
- Scymnodon Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864
- Scymnodon ichiharai Yano & S. Tanaka (II), 1984 (Japanese velvet dogfish)
- Scymnodon macracanthus Regan, 1906 (largespine velvet dogfish)
- Scymnodon plunketi Waite, 1910 (Plunket's shark)
- Scymnodon ringens Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864 (knifetooth dogfish)
- Somniosus Lesueur, 1818
- Somniosus antarcticus Whitley, 1939 (southern sleeper shark)
- Somniosus cheni Hsu, Lin, & Joung, 2020 (Taiwan sleeper shark)
- Somniosus longus Tanaka, 1912 (frog shark)
- Somniosus microcephalus Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801 (Greenland shark)
- Somniosus pacificus Bigelow & Schroeder, 1944 (Pacific sleeper shark)
- Somniosus rostratus Risso, 1827 (little sleeper shark)
- Somniosus sp. A Not yet described (longnose sleeper shark)
- Zameus D. S. Jordan & Fowler, 1903
- Zameus squamulosus Günther, 1877 (velvet dogfish)
Image:Centroscymnus crepidater.jpg|Centroscymnus crepidater
Image:Scymnodon obscurus.jpg|Scymnodon obscurus
Image:Zameus squamulosus.jpg|Zameus squamulosus
Hákarl
{{Main|Hákarl}}
Greenland sharks of the family Somniosidae are hunted for food in Iceland. In modern times, many Greenlandic sharks used for hákarl production are purchased from fishing ships where the sharks were trapped in the fishing nets. The shark carcass is traditionally fermented in a shallow pit, with stones placed on top of the shark, allowing poisonous internal fluids, like urea and trimethylamine oxide, to be pressed and drained out of the body. The meat is then cured for several months, rendering it safe for human consumption.{{cite news|last=Wheatley|first=Gale|title=Iceland's Wild Culinary Traditions: Hákarl and Brennivín|url=http://gourmetwonderland.com/hakarl-brennivin|date=20 September 2010}}
{{Portal|Sharks}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Selachimorpha|S.}}
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