Sixgill sawshark
Pliotrema warreni
The sixgill sawshark, Pliotrema warreni is a sawshark of the family Pristiophoridae. Unlike other sawsharks, the barbs on this shark's rostrum continue onto the sides of the head. Its barbels are also closer to its mouth than in other species. At maximum, females can reach over 136 cm (54 in) long, and males can reach over 112 cm (44 in) long.
Range and habitat
The sixgill sawshark is found in the temperate and subtropical waters of the western Indian Ocean between latitudes 23° S and 37° S, at depths of between 37 and 500 m (120 and 1,640 ft). This shark lives in the benthic and benthopelagic zones of the continental shelf. Adults are partially segregated from juveniles, as they naturally tend to aggregate at lower depths.
Behavior
Using their sensitive barbels and electric sense, sixgill sawsharks are able to find their prey and then incapacitate them with their rostrum. Their known diet includes small fish, crustaceans, and squids. The only observed predator of the sixgill sawshark is the tiger shark, though it is likely other large sharks predate this species.
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