Kitefin shark (Dalatias licha)

Scientific name: Dalatias licha Bonnaterre, 1788

Kitefin shark (Dalatias licha)

The Kitefin shark (Dalatias licha) is a marine fish of the family Dalatiidae.

Biology

Found on outer continental and insular shelves and slopes. Mainly found on or near the bottom but readily occurs well off the substrate. Often pelagic. Found singly or in small schools. Feeds mainly on deepwater bony fish, but also skates, other sharks, cephalopods and crustaceans. Ovoviviparous, with 10-20 young born at 30-42 cm. Used for its squalene liver oil, leather and meat, as well as for fishmeal.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Dalatias licha
Family
Dalatiidae (Sleeper sharks)
Order
Squaliformes (Bramble, Sleeper and Dogfish sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
182
Depth range
37–1800 m (121–5906 ft)
Environment
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 37 - 1800 m, usually 200 - 1800 m
Climate
Deep-water
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Georges Bank and northern Gulf of Mexico. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland, Scotland, and Irish Atlantic slope to Morocco, western Mediterranean, Madeira to Cameroon. Western Indian Ocean: Mozambique and South Africa. Western Pacific: Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Central Pacific: Hawaii.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Near Threatened (NT)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec=10-20)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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