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The Greenland shark is an [[apex predator]] mostly eating fish. Recorded fish prey have included smaller [[shark]]s, [[Skate (fish)|skate]]s, [[eel]]s, [[herring]], [[capelin]], [[Arctic char]], [[cod]], [[redfish]], [[sculpin]]s, [[lumpfish]], [[Anarhichas|wolffish]] and [[flounders]].<ref name=flmnh/> However, it may also prey on marine mammals such as [[Pinniped|seals]]. Bite marks on dead seals at [[Sable Island]], [[Nova Scotia]] and [[Hawarden]] suggest that this shark may be a major predator for them in the winter months.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lucas |first=Zoe |title=Shark Predation on Sable Island Seals |date=March 2003 |publisher=Sable Island Green Horse Society |url=http://www.greenhorsesociety.com/sharks/shark_predation.htm |accessdate=26 June 2012}}{{self-published inline|date=June 2012}}</ref> Rarely, these sharks have been found as far south as the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/08/what-is-a-greenland-shark-doing-in-the-gulf-of-mexico/ |work=[[Wired (website)|Wired]] |title=What Is a Greenland Shark Doing in the Gulf of Mexico? |date=2013-08-27|postscript=<!-- Bot inserted parameter. Either remove it; or change its value to "." for the cite to end in a ".", as necessary. -->{{inconsistent citations}} }}</ref>
The Greenland shark is an [[apex predator]] mostly eating fish. Recorded fish prey have included smaller [[shark]]s, [[Skate (fish)|skate]]s, [[eel]]s, [[herring]], [[capelin]], [[Arctic char]], [[cod]], [[redfish]], [[sculpin]]s, [[lumpfish]], [[Anarhichas|wolffish]] and [[flounders]].<ref name=flmnh/> However, it may also prey on marine mammals such as [[Pinniped|seals]]. Bite marks on dead seals at [[Sable Island]], [[Nova Scotia]] and [[Hawarden]] suggest that this shark may be a major predator for them in the winter months.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lucas |first=Zoe |title=Shark Predation on Sable Island Seals |date=March 2003 |publisher=Sable Island Green Horse Society |url=http://www.greenhorsesociety.com/sharks/shark_predation.htm |accessdate=26 June 2012}}{{self-published inline|date=June 2012}}</ref> Rarely, these sharks have been found as far south as the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/08/what-is-a-greenland-shark-doing-in-the-gulf-of-mexico/ |work=[[Wired (website)|Wired]] |title=What Is a Greenland Shark Doing in the Gulf of Mexico? |date=2013-08-27|postscript=<!-- Bot inserted parameter. Either remove it; or change its value to "." for the cite to end in a ".", as necessary. -->{{inconsistent citations}} }}</ref>


Since Greenland sharks are perhaps one of the slowest-swimming shark and attain a maximum swimming speed that is about half the maximum swimming speed of a typical seal, biologists have wondered how the sharks are able to prey on the seals. Some evidence has been found that Greenland sharks search out seals and ambush them while they sleep.<ref>{{cite web |first=Helen |last=Scales |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120626-greenland-sharks-seals-sleeping-animals-science/ |title=Slow Sharks Sneak Up on Sleeping Seals (and Eat Them)? |date=June 2012 |publisher=National Geographic News |accessdate=28 December 2012}}</ref> Greenland sharks have also been found with remains of [[polar bear]], [[horse]]s, [[moose]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/moose-eating-shark-rescued-in-newfoundland-harbour-1.2434102 |title=Moose-eating shark rescued in Newfoundland harbour |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=21 November 2013 |accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref> and [[reindeer]] (in one case an entire reindeer body) in their stomachs.<ref name=flmnh/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/clash-of-the-fiercest-predators-as-shark-eats-polar-bear-891512.html |title=Clash of the fiercest predators as shark eats polar bear |work=The Independent |first=Daniel |last=Howden |date=12 August 2008 |accessdate=26 June 2012}}</ref> The Greenland shark is also known to be a scavenger but to what extent carrion (almost certainly the origin of the reindeer) figures into the slow-moving fish's stomach contents is unknown. It is known, however, that the species is attracted by the smell of rotting meat in the water. They often congregate in large numbers around fishing operations.<ref name=flmnh/> The shark is colonized by the worm-like [[parasite|parasitic]] [[copepod]] ''[[Ommatokoita elongata]]'' that eats the shark's [[cornea]]l tissue. It has been reported that this parasite is bioluminescent and gives the shark a greenish glow around the eye when seen in dark waters but this has not been scientifically supported. However, because of these parasites with worm-like cases (which no-one knows what those paraties are doing they), these parasites render the greenland shark virutally blind. <ref name=flmnh/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dsc.discovery.com/sharks/greenland-shark.html |title=Greenland Shark |publisher=Discovery|accessdate=23 May 2011}}{{verify credibility|date=June 2012}}</ref> The shark occupies what tends to be a very deep environment seeking its preferable cold water ({{convert|-0.6|to|10|°C|°F}}) habitat. It has been observed at a depth of {{convert|2200|m|ft|abbr=on}} by a submersible investigating the wreck of the [[SS Central America|SS ''Central America'']]. A specimen video-taped at {{convert|2773|m|ft|abbr=on}} off the coast of Brazil on 11 February 2012 may have been a Greenland shark, but cannot be distinguished in the video from a [[southern sleeper shark]] or [[Pacific sleeper shark]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedorsalfin.com/shark-news-stories/greenland-shark-vide-over-9100-feet-deep-2770m-off-coast-of-brazil |title=Video: Greenland shark at over 9100 feet deep (2770 m) off Brazil |work=The Dorsal Fin|accessdate=21 February 2012}}{{verify credibility|date=June 2012}}</ref> However, a more typical depth for the species is above {{convert|1200|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Frequently during the winter, when the sharks look for warmer waters to inhabit, they are often found at or near the surface of the water.<ref name=flmnh/>
Since Greenland sharks are perhaps one of the slowest-swimming shark and attain a maximum swimming speed that is about half the maximum swimming speed of a typical seal, biologists have wondered how the sharks are able to prey on the seals. Some evidence has been found that Greenland sharks search out seals and ambush them while they sleep.<ref>{{cite web |first=Helen |last=Scales |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120626-greenland-sharks-seals-sleeping-animals-science/ |title=Slow Sharks Sneak Up on Sleeping Seals (and Eat Them)? |date=June 2012 |publisher=National Geographic News |accessdate=28 December 2012}}</ref> Greenland sharks have also been found with remains of [[polar bear]], [[horse]]s, [[moose]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/moose-eating-shark-rescued-in-newfoundland-harbour-1.2434102 |title=Moose-eating shark rescued in Newfoundland harbour |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=21 November 2013 |accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref> and [[reindeer]] (in one case an entire reindeer body) in their stomachs.<ref name=flmnh/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/clash-of-the-fiercest-predators-as-shark-eats-polar-bear-891512.html |title=Clash of the fiercest predators as shark eats polar bear |work=The Independent |first=Daniel |last=Howden |date=12 August 2008 |accessdate=26 June 2012}}</ref> The Greenland shark is also known to be a scavenger but to what extent carrion (almost certainly the origin of the reindeer) figures into the slow-moving fish's stomach contents is unknown. It is known, however, that the species is attracted by the smell of rotting meat in the water. They often congregate in large numbers around fishing operations.<ref name=flmnh/> The shark is colonized by the worm-like [[parasite|parasitic]] [[copepod]] ''[[Ommatokoita elongata]]'' that eats the shark's [[cornea]]l tissue. It has been reported that this parasite is bioluminescent and gives the shark a greenish glow around the eye when seen in dark waters but this has not been scientifically supported. However, because of these parasites with worm-like cases (which no-one knows what those paraties are doing they), these parasites render the Greenland shark virtually blind. <ref name=flmnh/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dsc.discovery.com/sharks/greenland-shark.html |title=Greenland Shark |publisher=Discovery|accessdate=23 May 2011}}{{verify credibility|date=June 2012}}</ref> The shark occupies what tends to be a very deep environment seeking its preferable cold water ({{convert|-0.6|to|10|°C|°F}}) habitat. It has been observed at a depth of {{convert|2200|m|ft|abbr=on}} by a submersible investigating the wreck of the [[SS Central America|SS ''Central America'']]. A specimen video-taped at {{convert|2773|m|ft|abbr=on}} off the coast of Brazil on 11 February 2012 may have been a Greenland shark, but cannot be distinguished in the video from a [[southern sleeper shark]] or [[Pacific sleeper shark]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedorsalfin.com/shark-news-stories/greenland-shark-vide-over-9100-feet-deep-2770m-off-coast-of-brazil |title=Video: Greenland shark at over 9100 feet deep (2770 m) off Brazil |work=The Dorsal Fin|accessdate=21 February 2012}}{{verify credibility|date=June 2012}}</ref> However, a more typical depth for the species is above {{convert|1200|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Frequently during the winter, when the sharks look for warmer waters to inhabit, they are often found at or near the surface of the water.<ref name=flmnh/>


As an [[ectotherm]], the Greenland shark is slow, cruising at 0.76 [[Miles per hour|mph]] with a top speed of 1.6&nbsp;mph.<ref name=Yuuki>{{cite journal |last1=Watanabe |first1=Yuuki Y. |last2=Lydersen |first2=Christian |last3=Fisk |first3=Aaron T. |last4=Kovacs |first4=Kit M. |title=The slowest fish: Swim speed and tail-beat frequency of Greenland sharks |year=2012 |journal=Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology |volume=426–427 |doi=10.1016/j.jembe.2012.04.021 |page=5}}</ref>
As an [[ectotherm]], the Greenland shark is slow, cruising at 0.76 [[Miles per hour|mph]] with a top speed of 1.6&nbsp;mph.<ref name=Yuuki>{{cite journal |last1=Watanabe |first1=Yuuki Y. |last2=Lydersen |first2=Christian |last3=Fisk |first3=Aaron T. |last4=Kovacs |first4=Kit M. |title=The slowest fish: Swim speed and tail-beat frequency of Greenland sharks |year=2012 |journal=Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology |volume=426–427 |doi=10.1016/j.jembe.2012.04.021 |page=5}}</ref>

Revision as of 02:06, 6 October 2014

Greenland shark
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Chondrichthyes
Subclass:
Elasmobranchii
Order:
Squaliformes
Family:
Somniosidae
Genus:
Somniosus
Species:
S. microcephalus
Binomial name
Somniosus microcephalus
Range of the Greenland shark
Synonyms

Squalus squatina (non Linnaeus, 1758)
Squalus carcharis (Gunnerus, 1776)
Somniosus brevipinna (Lesueur, 1818)
Squalus borealis (Scoresby, 1820)
Squalus norvegianus (Blainville, 1825)
Scymnus gunneri (Thienemann, 1828)
Scymnus glacialis (Faber, 1829)
Scymnus micropterus (Valenciennes, 1832)
Leiodon echinatum (Wood, 1846)

The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), also known as the gurry shark or grey shark, or by the Inuit name Eqalussuaq, is a large shark of the family Somniosidae ("sleeper sharks") that is native to the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean around Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. These sharks live farther north than any other shark species. Many of the species' adaptations are due to it being the only truly sub-Arctic species of shark. They are closely related to the Pacific sleeper shark.[2] This species of the shark holds the world record for having the most toxic meat of any shark.[3]

Description

This is one of the largest living species of shark, of dimensions comparable to those of the great white shark. Greenland sharks grow to 6.4 m (21 ft) and 1,000 kg (2,200 lb),[4] and possibly up to 7.3 m (24 ft) and more than 1,400 kg (3,100 lb).[5][6] However, most Greenland sharks observed have been around 2.44–4.8 m (8.0–15.7 ft) long and weigh up to 400 kg (880 lb).[5][6] Males are typically smaller than females. It rivals the Pacific sleeper shark (possibly up to 7 m or 23 ft long) as the largest species in the family Somniosidae. The Greenland Shark is a thickset species with a short, rounded snout, small eyes, and very small dorsal and pectoral fins. The gill openings are very small for the species' great size. Coloration can range from pale creamy-gray to blackish-brown and the body is typically uniform in color, though whitish spots or faint dark streaks are occasionally seen on the back.[5] Due to their cold environments, Greenland Sharks are thought to grow at a very slow rate.[5] There are no reliable data on their life span, but fully grown Greenland sharks have been recaptured 16 years after being tagged.[7]

Dentition

The dentition of a Greenland shark.

When feeding on large carcasses, the shark employs a rolling motion of its jaw. The teeth of the upper jaw are very thin and pointed, lacking serrations. These upper jaw teeth, numbering from 48 to 52 teeth, act as anchor while the lower jaw does the cutting. The lower teeth are interlocking and are broad and square, 50 to 52 in count, containing short, smooth cusps that point outward.[5] Teeth in the two halves of the lower jaw are strongly pitched in opposite directions.[8]

Life history

The Greenland shark is an apex predator mostly eating fish. Recorded fish prey have included smaller sharks, skates, eels, herring, capelin, Arctic char, cod, redfish, sculpins, lumpfish, wolffish and flounders.[5] However, it may also prey on marine mammals such as seals. Bite marks on dead seals at Sable Island, Nova Scotia and Hawarden suggest that this shark may be a major predator for them in the winter months.[9] Rarely, these sharks have been found as far south as the Gulf of Mexico.[10]

Since Greenland sharks are perhaps one of the slowest-swimming shark and attain a maximum swimming speed that is about half the maximum swimming speed of a typical seal, biologists have wondered how the sharks are able to prey on the seals. Some evidence has been found that Greenland sharks search out seals and ambush them while they sleep.[11] Greenland sharks have also been found with remains of polar bear, horses, moose[12] and reindeer (in one case an entire reindeer body) in their stomachs.[5][13] The Greenland shark is also known to be a scavenger but to what extent carrion (almost certainly the origin of the reindeer) figures into the slow-moving fish's stomach contents is unknown. It is known, however, that the species is attracted by the smell of rotting meat in the water. They often congregate in large numbers around fishing operations.[5] The shark is colonized by the worm-like parasitic copepod Ommatokoita elongata that eats the shark's corneal tissue. It has been reported that this parasite is bioluminescent and gives the shark a greenish glow around the eye when seen in dark waters but this has not been scientifically supported. However, because of these parasites with worm-like cases (which no-one knows what those paraties are doing they), these parasites render the Greenland shark virtually blind. [5][14] The shark occupies what tends to be a very deep environment seeking its preferable cold water (−0.6 to 10 °C (30.9 to 50.0 °F)) habitat. It has been observed at a depth of 2,200 m (7,200 ft) by a submersible investigating the wreck of the SS Central America. A specimen video-taped at 2,773 m (9,098 ft) off the coast of Brazil on 11 February 2012 may have been a Greenland shark, but cannot be distinguished in the video from a southern sleeper shark or Pacific sleeper shark.[15] However, a more typical depth for the species is above 1,200 m (3,900 ft). Frequently during the winter, when the sharks look for warmer waters to inhabit, they are often found at or near the surface of the water.[5]

As an ectotherm, the Greenland shark is slow, cruising at 0.76 mph with a top speed of 1.6 mph.[16]

Greenland sharks are thought to be the longest-lived vertebrates on the planet, with a potential life span of over 200 years.[17][18][19]

Reproduction

As recently as 1957 it was found that the females do not deposit eggs in the bottom ooze, but retain the developing embryos within their bodies so that they are born alive after an undetermined gestation period. 10 pups per litter is normal, each initially measuring some 90 cm (35 in) in length.[20]

Greenland sharks as food

The flesh of a Greenland shark is poisonous. This is due to the presence of the toxin trimethylamine oxide, which, upon digestion, breaks down into trimethylamine, producing effects similar to extreme drunkenness. Occasionally, sled dogs that end up eating the flesh are unable to stand up due to the neurotoxins. Similar toxic effects occur with the related Pacific sleeper shark, but not in most other shark species, whose meat is often consumed fresh.[21]

However, it can be eaten if it is boiled in several changes of water or dried or fermented for some months to produce Kæstur Hákarl, often Hákarl for short. Traditionally this was done by burying the shark in boreal ground, exposing it to several cycles of freezing and thawing. It is considered a delicacy in Iceland and Greenland.

Inuit legends

The shark is not considered dangerous to humans, though there are Inuit legends of this species attacking kayaks.[22] Although it is likely the very large shark could easily consume a human swimmer, the extremely cold waters it typically inhabits makes the likelihood of attacks on humans very low, and there are no verified cases of predation on people.[5]

The Greenland shark's poisonous flesh has a high urea content, which gave rise to the Inuit legend of Skalugsuak, the first Greenland shark.[23] The legend says that an old woman washed her hair in urine and dried it with a cloth. The cloth blew into the ocean to become Skalugsuak.[24]

The Greenland shark plays a role in cosmologies of the Inuit from the Canadian Eastern Arctic and Greenland. Igloolik Inuit believe that the shark lives within Sedna's urine pot, and consequently its flesh has an urine-like smell, and acts as a helping spirit to shamans.[25]

Research

The Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group (GEERG) has been studying the Greenland shark in the Saguenay Fjord and St. Lawrence Estuary since 2001. The Greenland shark has repeatedly been documented (captured or washed ashore) in the Saguenay since at least 1888.[24] Accidental captures and strandings have also been recorded in the St. Lawrence Estuary for over a century.

Current research conducted by GEERG involves the study of the behaviour of the Greenland shark by observing it underwater using scuba and video equipment and by placing acoustic and satellite tags (telemetry) on live specimens; however, overall very little is known about this mysterious species.

There is now an argument suggesting that the Greenland shark is responsible for 'Seal Ripping' attacks on grey seals.[26] These attacks cause a corkscrew pattern of cuts and tears which spiral around a seal's body, following the grain of the collagen within the muscles and running at 45 degrees to the seal's body. Seal deaths have been occurring over larger territories, including the north and east coasts of the UK, which suggests that the Greenland shark may be moving beyond its traditional habitat range. In August 2013, researchers from Florida State University caught the first documented Greenland shark in the Gulf of Mexico.[27] However, recent research into the UK "corkscrew" seal deaths by the Sea Mammal Research Unit [28] concluded that the UK seal deaths were unlikely to have been caused by predation from the Greenland shark, rather being caused by blunt mechanical trauma "consistent with the seals being drawn through a ducted propeller" that are found on many ships. Additionally, the shark's slow speed (max speed of 1.6 mph) limits its potential predation of seals to those that are asleep.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ Template:IUCN2011.2
  2. ^ O'Donnell, Jacinth. Jurassic Shark documentary (2000); broadcast on Discovery Channel, 5 August 2006
  3. ^ Guinness World Records 2013, Page 048, Hardcover edition.
  4. ^ Mills, Patrick (2006). Dewey, Tanya (ed.). "Somniosus microcephalus". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Eagle, Dane. "Greenland shark". Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  6. ^ a b Wood, Gerald (1983). The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9.[page needed]
  7. ^ Caloyianis, Nick (September 1998). "Greenland Sharks". National Geographic. 194 (3): 60–71.
  8. ^ "Greenland Shark". Marinebiodiversity.ca. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  9. ^ Lucas, Zoe (March 2003). "Shark Predation on Sable Island Seals". Sable Island Green Horse Society. Retrieved 26 June 2012.[self-published source?]
  10. ^ "What Is a Greenland Shark Doing in the Gulf of Mexico?". Wired. 27 August 2013Template:Inconsistent citations{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  11. ^ Scales, Helen (June 2012). "Slow Sharks Sneak Up on Sleeping Seals (and Eat Them)?". National Geographic News. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  12. ^ "Moose-eating shark rescued in Newfoundland harbour". CBC News. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  13. ^ Howden, Daniel (12 August 2008). "Clash of the fiercest predators as shark eats polar bear". The Independent. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  14. ^ "Greenland Shark". Discovery. Retrieved 23 May 2011.[unreliable source?]
  15. ^ "Video: Greenland shark at over 9100 feet deep (2770 m) off Brazil". The Dorsal Fin. Retrieved 21 February 2012.[unreliable source?]
  16. ^ a b Watanabe, Yuuki Y.; Lydersen, Christian; Fisk, Aaron T.; Kovacs, Kit M. (2012). "The slowest fish: Swim speed and tail-beat frequency of Greenland sharks". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 426–427: 5. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2012.04.021.
  17. ^ GEERG – Greenland Shark. Geerg.ca. Retrieved on 22 November 2013.
  18. ^ The Greenland shark – world’s oldest? Dutch Shark Society. 7 November 2013.
  19. ^ GEERG – Greenland Shark. Geerg.ca. Retrieved on 12 July 2013.
  20. ^ "Polar Seas: Greenland Shark". Elasmo-research.org. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  21. ^ Waldner, Ray (21 December 2004). "Shark Eating". Sport Fishing Magazine. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  22. ^ Stinson, Scott (24 October 2003). "Skipper Uses Knife To Kill 600-Kilo Shark". National Post. Archived from the original on 2 November 2003. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ O’Reilly, Lindsay. "The Greenland Shark", Canadian Geographic, March/April 2004. Retrieved 1 July 2007.
  24. ^ a b "Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group". Geerg.ca. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  25. ^ Idrobo, Carlos Julián (2008) The Pangnirtung Inuit and the Greenland Shark. p. 66. MSc Thesis. Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba
  26. ^ Channel 5 documentary Retrieved 29 September 2010
  27. ^ Grubs, Dean (15 August 2013). "Deep-C Scientists Capture First Greenland Shark in the Gulf of Mexico"
  28. ^ "Sea Mammal Research Unit" "Report on recent seal mortalities in UK waters caused by extensive lacerations", October 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2011

Further reading

  • MacNeil, M. A.; McMeans, B. C.; Hussey, N. E.; Vecsei, P.; Svavarsson, J.; Kovacs, K. M.; Lydersen, C.; Treble, M. A.; et al. (2012). "Biology of the Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus". Journal of Fish Biology. 80 (5): 991–1018. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03257.x. PMID 22497371.
  • Watanabe, Yuuki Y.; Lydersen, Christian; Fisk, Aaron T.; Kovacs, Kit M. (2012). "The slowest fish: Swim speed and tail-beat frequency of Greenland sharks". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 426–427: 5–11. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2012.04.021. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |laydate= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |laysource= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |laysummary= ignored (help)
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