Family MITSUKURINIDAE

Mitsukurinidae

© Copyright from Jordan & Fowler 1903.

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Introduction

Compagno (1984, 2001) and Last & Stevens (1994, 2009) recognised only one extant species in the Mitsukurinidae, although four species have been described from Japan. Specimens are generally rare outside of Japan, but are known from scattered localities in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Glover, in 1976, confirmed the first Australian record of the goblin shark, and since then other animals have been collected from the east coast (Stevens & Paxton 1985).

The goblin shark is distinctive in having an elongate blade-like snout, tiny eyes and protrusible jaws. Little is known of the biology of the species. It occurs to depths of over 500 m and attains a maximum length of over 3 m.

The most recent study of goblin sharks is that of Bass et al. (1975). The genus Mitsukurina is often considered to be a synonym of the fossil genus Scapanorhynchus (Woodward 1889), but recent studies have indicated that they are generically distinct, although possibly related (Compagno 1984, 2001).

General References

Bass, A.J., D'Aubrey, J.D. & Kistnasamy, N. 1975. Sharks of the east coast of southern Africa. Part 4. The families Odontaspididae, Scapanorhynchidae, Isuridae, Cetorhinidae, Alopiidae, Orectolobidae and Rhiniodontidae. Investigational Report. Oceanographical Research Institute, Durban 39: 1-102 figs 1-24 pls 1-15

Compagno, L.J.V. 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Rome : FAO Vol. 4(2) 251-655 pp.

Compagno, L.J.V. 2001. Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). Rome : FAO, FAO Species Catalogue for Fisheries Purposes No. 1 Vol. 2 269 pp.

Glover, C.J.M. 1976. The goblin shark Scapanorhynchus owstoni (Jordan, 1898): confirmation of the first Australian record. South Australian Naturalist 50(4): 69-72 1 fig.

Jordan, D.S. & Fowler, H.W. 1903. A review of the elasmobranchiate fishes of Japan. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 26(1324): 593-674 figs 1-10 pls 26-27

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. [156]

Stevens, J.D. & Paxton, J.R. 1985. A new record of the goblin shark, Mitsukurina owstoni (family Mitsukurinidae), from eastern Australia. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 108(1): 37-45 fig. 1

Woodward, A.S. 1889. Catalogue of the Fossil Fishes in the British Museum of Natural History. London : British Museum Vol. 1 474 pp.

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. [222] (FAO) (Goblin Shark)

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