How to Identify Frilled Shark

To identify Frilled Shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus), look at these key features.

Physical Characteristics

Body shape

eel-like

Coloration

Dark brown to grayish-brown, often appearing darker in deep-sea photographs.

Scale type

placoid

Mouth position

terminal

Distinctive features

Six pairs of frilly, crimson-edged gill slits, with the first pair meeting across the throat., Eel-like, elongated body., Broad, flattened head., Terminal mouth with numerous rows of small, trident-shaped teeth (approximately 300 teeth in total)., Single dorsal fin positioned far back on the body, close to the caudal fin., Anal fin present, larger than the dorsal fin.

Dorsal fin

Single, small, and located far back on the body, posterior to the pelvic fins and just anterior to the caudal fin.

Tail fin

Long, low, and asymmetrical, with a poorly developed lower lobe and no subterminal notch.

Pectoral fin

Small and paddle-like.

Distinctive fins

Pelvic fins are relatively large and located midway along the body. Anal fin is larger than the dorsal fin.

Identification Tips

1. 1

   Gill Slits

   Six pairs of frilly gill slits, with the first pair continuous across the throat, distinguishing it from all other sharks except the African Frilled Shark (Chlamydoselachus africana).

2. 2

   Body Shape

   Its elongated, eel-like body is highly distinctive among sharks.

3. 3

   Head and Mouth

   Broad, flattened head with a terminal mouth (at the very front of the snout) filled with numerous small, three-pronged teeth.

4. 4

   Fin Placement

   Single dorsal fin positioned far back on the body, close to the caudal fin, and an anal fin that is larger than the dorsal fin.

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