Somniosus

{{Short description|Genus of sharks}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| fossil_range = {{fossil_range|Oligocene|0|Early Oligocene to present}}{{Cite journal|author1=Bruce J. Welton |author2=James L. Goedert |year=2016 |title=New fossil species of Somniosus and Rhinoscymnus (Squaliformes: Somniosidae), deep water sharks from Oligocene rocks of Western Washington State, USA |journal=New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin |volume=74 |pages=309–326 }}

| image = Somniosus.jpg

| image_caption = Somniosus microcephalus

| taxon = Somniosus

| authority = Lesueur, 1818

| type_species = Squalus microcephalus

}}

Somniosus is a widely distributed genus of deepwater dogfish sharks in the family Somniosidae.{{cite journal

| last = Yano | first = K. |author2=Stevens, J. D. |author3=Compagno, L. J. V.

| title = A review of the systematics of the sleeper shark genus Somniosus with redescriptions of Somniosus (Somniosus) antarcticus and Somniosus (Rhinoscymnus) longus (Squaliformes: Somniosidae)

| journal = Ichthyological Research | volume = 51 | issue = 4 | pages = 360–373

| publisher = Springer | date = December 2004

| doi = 10.1007/s10228-004-0244-4

| bibcode = 2004IchtR..51..360Y }} Several members of the genus are believed to attain lengths up to {{convert|7|m|ft|abbr=on}}, thus ranking among the largest of sharks.