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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Hexanchiformes
Family: Hexanchidae
Genus: Notorynchus
Species: N. cepedianus
The broadnose sevengill shark, Notorynchus cepedianus, is the only extant member of the genus Notorynchus, in the family Hexanchidae. It is recognizable because of its 7 gill slits, while most shark species have 5 gill slits, with the exception of the members of the order Hexanchiformes.
The shark is gray or brownish with spots, and its top jaw has jagged cusped teeth and the bottom comb shaped. This adaptation allows the shark to eat sharks, rays, fish, seals, and carrion. The sharks live in temperate areas up to 135 m (450 ft) deep and have only attacked humans in captivity. This shark is ovoviviparous, bearing live young. It grows up to 300 cm (10feet) long.
OUR STORY:
One of the first things we noticed upon reaching the bottom was absolutely no fish–anywhere. The lighting was also strange: a strange, yellowish-green tinge to everything, lending a deserted, eerie feel to the whole place.
Click below to read the rest of the article online:
http://www.cadivingnews.com/article/731/Sevengill-Shark