WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A shark with thorns. Adults have large, greater than .4 inch [>1 cm] sparsely and irregularly scattered whitish thorn-like denticles with smooth margins, some fused into multi-cusped plates. Young, who are less than 3 ft [<90 cm] in length, have close-set small denticles below their snout and around their mouths, becoming large, scattered, and conspicuous in larger sharks.

COLOR
Grey, brownish or blackish, and often lighter below. May have red or black spots or blotches on back and sides. Fin edges are blackish.

SIZE
The shark is 1.3 to 1.6 ft [40 to 50 cm] long at birth. Males mature at a length of less than 4.9 ft [1.5 m], and females mature between 6.6 and 7.2 ft [2 and 2.2 m]. Their maximum length is 10 to10.2 ft [3.05 to 3.10 m].

HABITAT
Deepwater, continental and island shelves and slopes, on or near the bottom 656.2 to 2952.8 ft [200 to 900 m]. In shallow, cold water upwelling areas.

DISTRIBUTION
East Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Indo-west Pacific Ocean.

BIOLOGY

• Prey – Bony fish, small sharks, and crustaceans.

• Reproduction – Ovoviviparous with 15-26 pups per litter.

BEHAVIOR
Poorly known, presumed to be sluggish.

STATUS
Apparently rare, and occasionally fished.