AY Honors/Species Account/Somniosus microcephalus

Somniosus microcephalus

Greenland Shark (Somniosus microcephalus)

Where found: North Atlantic Ocean around Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. These sharks live farther north than any other shark species and are the only truly sub-Arctic species of shark. The shark prefers cold water (−0.6 to 10 °C (30.9 to 50.0 °F)), and has been filmed at a depth of 2,200 m (7,200 ft) by a submersible.

Description: The Greenland Shark also called the gurry shark or grey shark, or the Inuit name Eqalussuaq, is a large shark of the family Somniosidae ("sleeper sharks"). They have the most toxic meat of any shark and are thought to be the longest-lived vertebrates on the planet, with a potential life span of over 200 years. Greenland sharks eat smaller sharks, skates, eels, herring, capelin, Arctic char, cod, redfish, sculpins, lumpfish, wolffish and flounders, plus seals. Greenland sharks have also been found with remains of polar bear, horses, moose and reindeer inside. They are very slow, cruising at 0.76 mph with a top speed of 1.6 mph. They grow very slowly, possibly up to 7.3 m (24 ft) and more than 1,400 kg (3,100 lb). Interesting video from the St Lawrence.