Ecology Summary - Somniosus microcephalus

Language:

Main Ref.	Compagno, L.J.V., D.A. Ebert and M.J. Smale, 1989
Remarks	Reported abundant on continental and insular shelves and upper slopes down to at least 1,200 m (Ref. 247) and recorded to as deep as 2,200 m (Ref. 55584) on theh Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Ref. 119696). Epibenthic-pelagic (Ref. 58426). In the Arctic and boreal Atlantic, it occurs inshore in the intertidal and at the surface in shallow bays and river mouths during colder months, retreating to depths of 180-550 m when the temperature rises (Ref. 247). Feeds on pelagic and bottom fishes (herring, spiny eels, Atlantic salmon, Arctic char, smelt, gadoids including cod, ling, pollock and haddock, capelin, redfish, sculpins, lumpfish, Atlantic halibut, Greenland halibut, wolf-fish, redfish (Sebastes) and skates and their egg cases (Ref. 247, 5951), marine mammals, seals (common prey and possibly taken alive) and small cetaceans (most probably mostly as carrion), sea birds, squids, crabs, amphipods, marine snails, brittle stars, sea urchins, and jellyfish. Known to voraciously devour carrion and offal from whaling, sealing and fishing operations (Ref. 247, 58240). Found in varying habitats, from nearshore and upper slopes to lower shelf and slope waters. Typically in temperatures of 4.4 to 11.8°C (Ref. 117245).

Main Ref.

Compagno, L.J.V., D.A. Ebert and M.J. Smale, 1989

Remarks

Reported abundant on continental and insular shelves and upper slopes down to at least 1,200 m (Ref. 247) and recorded to as deep as 2,200 m (Ref. 55584) on theh Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Ref. 119696). Epibenthic-pelagic (Ref. 58426). In the Arctic and boreal Atlantic, it occurs inshore in the intertidal and at the surface in shallow bays and river mouths during colder months, retreating to depths of 180-550 m when the temperature rises (Ref. 247). Feeds on pelagic and bottom fishes (herring, spiny eels, Atlantic salmon, Arctic char, smelt, gadoids including cod, ling, pollock and haddock, capelin, redfish, sculpins, lumpfish, Atlantic halibut, Greenland halibut, wolf-fish, redfish (Sebastes) and skates and their egg cases (Ref. 247, 5951), marine mammals, seals (common prey and possibly taken alive) and small cetaceans (most probably mostly as carrion), sea birds, squids, crabs, amphipods, marine snails, brittle stars, sea urchins, and jellyfish. Known to voraciously devour carrion and offal from whaling, sealing and fishing operations (Ref. 247, 58240). Found in varying habitats, from nearshore and upper slopes to lower shelf and slope waters. Typically in temperatures of 4.4 to 11.8°C (Ref. 117245).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Somniosus microcephalus may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic; Pelagic;
Substrate Ref.	Coad, B.W. and J.D. Reist, 2004
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Scott, W.B. and M.G. Scott, 1988
Associations	parasitism;
Associated with
Association remarks	Petromyzon marinus was reported to have been attached to S. microcephalus (Ref. 58185). Ommatokoita elongata (copepod) is a parasite of the species, attached to the cornea of its eye. Usually only one copepod on each eye and these are highly conspicuous and may be luminescent. The relationship was speculated to be mutualistic and beneficial with the copepods serving as lures to bring preys in proximity of their host (field observations necessary to confirm this parasite's role) (Ref. 247, 5951, 117245).
Parasitism	outside host (attached to the skin) inside host (cornea)

Feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Compagno, L.J.V., D.A. Ebert and M.J. Smale, 1989
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	Original sample		Unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition	4.22	0.57	4.14	0.53	Troph of juv./adults from 1 study.
From individual food items	4.53	1.00			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.	Cortés, E., 1999

Back to Search

cfm script by eagbayani, , php script by rolavides, 2/5/2008 , last modified by mbactong, 10/24/19