BROADNOSE SEVENGILL SHARK

Photograph copyright Andy Murch. All rights reserved.

View all available Broadnose Sevengill Shark Pictures in the Shark Pictures Database

Common Names: Broadnose Sevengill Shark, Spotted Sevengill Shark, Spotted Cow Shark.

Latin Name: Notorynchus cepedianus.

Other colloquial and foreign names for Notorynchus cepedianus:

哈那鯊 - China Main Mandarin Chinese

哈那鲨 - China Main Chinese

油夷鮫 - Taiwan Mandarin Chinese

扁头哈那鲨 - China Main Chinese

扁頭哈那鯊 - China Main Mandarin Chinese

斑点哈那鲨 - China Main Chinese

斑點哈那鯊 - China Main Mandarin Chinese

扁头哈那鲨的异名 - China Main Chinese

扁頭哈那鯊的異名 - China Main Mandarin Chinese

Brednæset syvgællet haj - Denmark Danish

Broad snouted sevengill - New Zealand English

Broad-snout - Australia English

Cação-bruxa - Brazil Portuguese

Cañabota gata - Spain Spanish

Cowshark - Australia English

Ebisuzame - Japan Japanese

Gatita - Ecuador Spanish

Gevlekte zevenkieuwshaai - Netherlands Dutch

K'wet'thenéchte - Can Br Colum Salish

Kammzähner - Germany German

Koeihaai - Namibia Afrikaans

Minami-ebisuzame - Japan Japanese

Pacific seven-gill shark - UK English

Platneus-sewekiefhaai - South Africa Afrikaans

Platnez - France French

Requin malais - Mauritius French

Seven-gill cowshark - Namibia English

Seven-gilled shark - Australia English

Siebenkiemiger Pazifischer Kammzähner - Germany German

Siedmioszpar plamisty - Poland Polish

Širokonosý sedmižaberní žralok - Czech Rep Czech

Tasmanian tiger shark - Australia English

Tiburón de 7 gallas - Spain Spanish

Tiburón pinto - Mexico Spanish

Tollo fume - Spain Spanish

Tuatini - New Zealand Maori

Žralok plochohlavý - Czech Rep Czech

Family: Hexanchidae

Identification: Bluntly rounded snout. Seven gill slits, posterior slits very short. Single dorsal fin set well back on body. Upper body sprinkled with small black spots and usually some white spots. Large size.

Size: At birth 34-45cm. Males mature at 130-170cm. Females mature at 200cm. Maximum recorded size 290cm. May possibly grow to 400cm.

Habitat:  Coastal sandy bays and rocky shorelines up to the surf line. Larger individuals inhabit deeper channels. Recorded at 136m but usually found in 1-50m.

Abundance and distribution: Temperate coastal waters around the world. Southern Australia, New Zealand, Japan,  Southern Africa, east and west coasts of south South America, and west coast of North America to Alaska.

Behavior and Diet: Cruises steadily along bays in search of food moving in and out with the tides. Prefers low visibility - night, turbid water, overcast conditions. Known to aggregate possibly for mating. Footage from the documentary Shark Quest shows a group of Broadnose Sevengill Sharks feeding together on a stingray carcass. Preys on sharks and rays, bony fishes and marine mammals.

Reproduction: Ovoviviparous (aplacental viviparous). Litter size 67-104. but may be higher. Gestation probably around one year followed by one year of recovery.

Observations: Broadnose Sevengill Sharks have been observed spy hopping - holding their heads above water and seeming to look around. This behavior is rare among sharks but has been regularly observed in Great White Sharks. it is possibly an adaptation to aid in the capture of marine mammals.

Similar species: The Bluntnose Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus griseus) has a very similar body shape but lacks the seventh gill slit and has less or no spots. The Sharpnose Sevengill Shark (Heptranchias perlo) has much larger eyes, a more pointed snout, and flattened, elongated pelvic fins.

Reaction to divers: The Broadnose Sevengill shark can become aggressive in baited situations e.g. towards spear-fishermen. In captivity it has bitten aquarium divers.

Diving logistics: Although this shark has a broad distribution it is not commonly encountered by divers. Probably South Africa and South Australia offer the best opportunities for sightings.

Other diving locations submitted by readers: 

References and further reading:  

Reef Sharks and Rays of the World. Scott W. Michael. Sea Challengers.

Sharks and Rays - Elasmobranch Guide of the World. Ralf M. Hennemann. IKAN.

Sharks of the World - Leonard Compagno.

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