Introduction

The Chlamydoselachidae comprise a single genus and two species of frill sharks (Ebert & Compagno 2009), known from scattered localities of all oceans. One species, Chlamydoselachus anguineus, has been recorded from Australian waters.

Chlamydoselachus anguineus is rare. It is found on the continental shelf and upper slope in depths of 120 to 1300 m, although it has been taken occasionally at the surface. The frill shark is distinctive in having a very slender and elongate body, six gill slits continuous across the throat and a single dorsal fin. The species is ovoviviparous. It reaches a maximum length of about 2 m. Food habits are unknown.

The natural history, anatomy and physiology of the frill shark were examined in detail by Gudger & Smith (1933), Smith (1937) and Gudger (1940). Compagno (1984) reviewed current knowledge of the species and Last & Stevens (1994, 2009) summarised Australian records. All species are treated in Compagno et al. (2005).

General References

Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Rome : FAO Vol. 4(1) pp. 1-249.

Compagno, L.J.V., Dando, M. & Fowler, S. 2005. A Field Guide to the Sharks of the World. London : Collins 368 pp.

Ebert, D.A. & Compagno, L.J.V. 2009. Chlamydoselachus africana, a new species of frilled shark from southern Africa (Chondrichthyes, Hexanchiformes, Chlamydoselachidae). Zootaxa 2173: 1-18

Gudger, E.W. 1940. The breeding habits, reproductive organs and external embryonic development of Chlamydoselachus, based on notes and drawings left by Bashford Dean. 523-633 figs 1-33 pls 1-6 in Gudger, E.W. (ed.). The Bashford Dean Memorial Volume. Archaic fishes. New York : American Museum of Natural History Vol. 7.

Gudger, E.W. & Smith, B.G. 1933. The natural history of the frilled shark Chlamydoselachus anguineus. 247-319 figs 1-29 pls 1-5 in Gudger, E.W. (ed.). The Bashford Dean Memorial Volume. Archaic fishes. New York : American Museum of Natural History Vol. 5.

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls.

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp.

Smith, B.G. 1937. The anatomy of the frilled shark, Chlamydoselachus anguineus Garman. 335-505 figs 1-27 pls 1-7 in Gudger, E.W. (ed.). The Bashford Dean Memorial Volume. Archaic fishes. New York : American Museum Natural History Vol. 6.

Common Name References

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. [36] (Frilled Sharks)

History of changes

• Chlamydoselachus Garman, S. 1884. An extraordinary shark. Bulletin of the Essex Institute 16: 47-55 1 fig. [47 fig.].

  Type species:

   Chlamydoselachus anguineus Garman, 1884 by monotypy.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Circumglobal, but probably absent from central Pacific.

IMCRA

Tasmania Province (10), Southeast Transition (11), Central Eastern Province (12)

History of changes

• Chlamydoselachus anguineus Garman, S. 1884. An extraordinary shark. Bulletin of the Essex Institute 16: 47-55 1 fig. [47, figs].

  Type data:

   Holotype MCZ 800-S, Sea of Sagami, Japan.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Off Sydney, NSW (33°47'S) to off eastern, southern and western TAS; temperate, discontinuous (antitropical, eastern North Atlantic, southern Africa, Japan, California, New Zealand). A shark was caught in January 2015 from 700m off Lakes Entrance, VIC.

IMCRA

Tasmania Province (10), Southeast Transition (11), Central Eastern Province (12)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, continental slope, marine.

Extra Ecological Information

120–1500 m

General References

Bass, A.J. 1979. Records of little-known sharks from Australian waters. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 103(4): 247-254 figs 1-5 [1978]

Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Rome : FAO Vol. 4(1) pp. 1-249. [14]

Compagno, L.J.V., Dando, M. & Fowler, S. 2005. A Field Guide to the Sharks of the World. London : Collins 368 pp.

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. [36]

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp. [34]

Nakaya, K. & Bass, A.J. 1978. The frill shark Chlamydoselachus anguineus in New Zealand seas. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 12(4): 397-398

Smith, J.L.B. 1967. The lizard shark Chlamydoselachus anguineus Garman, in South Africa. Occasional Papers. Department of Ichthyology, Rhodes University 10: 105-114 fig. 1 pls 19-23

White, W. 2008. Shark Families Heterodontidae to Pristiophoridae. pp. 32-100 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. [75]

Common Name References

Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Rome : FAO Vol. 4(1) pp. 1-249. [14] (FAO) (Frilled Shark)

Daley, R.K., Stevens, J.D., Last, P.R. & Yearsley, G.K. 2002. Field Guide to Australian Sharks & Rays. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 84 pp. [70] (Frill-gill Shark)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. [36] (Frill Shark, Frill-gilled Shark)

Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Frill Shark)

Stead, D.G. 1963. Sharks and Rays of Australian Seas. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 211 pp. 63 figs. [199] (Eel Shark)

History of changes