Greenland shark
Species of shark
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Key Takeaways
- The Greenland shark ( Somniosus microcephalus ), also known as the gray shark , is a large shark of the family Somniosidae ("sleeper sharks"), closely related to the Pacific and southern sleeper sharks.
- Greenland sharks have the longest lifespan of any known vertebrate, estimated to be between 250 and 500 years.
- 4 m (21 ft) and weighing more than 1,000 kg (2,200 lb).
- The shark is a generalist feeder, consuming a variety of available foods, including carrion.
- Because they live deep in remote parts of the northern oceans, Greenland sharks are not considered a threat to humans.
The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), also known as the gray shark, is a large shark of the family Somniosidae ("sleeper sharks"), closely related to the Pacific and southern sleeper sharks. Inhabiting the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, they are notable for their exceptional longevity, although they are poorly studied because of the depth and remoteness of their natural habitat.
Greenland sharks have the longest lifespan of any known vertebrate, estimated to be between 250 and 500 years. They are among the largest extant shark species, reaching a maximum confirmed length of 6.4 m (21 ft) and weighing more than 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). They reach sexual maturity around 150 years of age and their pups are born alive after an estimated gestation period of 8 to 18 years. The shark is a generalist feeder, consuming a variety of available foods, including carrion.
Greenland shark meat is made toxic to mammals by high levels of trimethylamine N-oxide, although a treated form of it is eaten in Iceland as a delicacy known as kæstur hákarl. Because they live deep in remote parts of the northern oceans, Greenland sharks are not considered a threat to humans. A possible attack occurred in August 1936 on two British fishermen, but the species was never identified.
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