Portugal country information

Common names: Darkie charlie, Gata, Gata-lixa
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments:
National Checklist: Portugal
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/po.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Compagno, L.J.V., 1984
National Database: Portuguese Freshwater Fishes

Common names from other countries

Squale liche, Carocho, Далатия (=чёрная пряморотая акула), ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Squaliformes (Sleeper and dogfish sharks) > Dalatiidae (Sleeper sharks)
Etymology: Dalatias: Etymology not explained nor evident. A few online sources suggest Dalatias is derived from dalos (Gr.), torch or firebrand, but nothing in Rafinesque’s description supports this interpretation. Interestingly, D. licha is bioluminescent, a fact that was discovered and resported only recently and was certainly unknown to Rafinesque and other early naturalists. See: Mallefet J., D. W. Stevens, and L. Duchatelet. 2021. Bioluminescence of the largest luminous vertebrate, the kitefin shark, Dalatias licha: first insights and comparative aspects. Frontiers in Marine Science 8 (article 633582): 1-13. (See ETYFish); licha: Latinization of “La Liche” as reported by Broussonet (1780), an old French word for this shark, possibly from from the Occitan lecha or lec, meaning “glutton”. (See ETYFish).
More on author: Bonnaterre.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 37 - 1800 m (Ref. 247), usually 300 - 600 m (Ref. 247). Deep-water; 72°N - 56°S, 98°W - 153°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Atlantic: Georges Bank and northern Gulf of Mexico. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland (Ref. 12462), Scotland, and Irish Atlantic slope to Morocco, western Mediterranean, Madeira to Cameroon. Western Indian Ocean: Mozambique and South Africa. Western Pacific: Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Central Pacific: Hawaii.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 139.0, range 117 - 159 cm
Max length : 182 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 10717)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Moderately sized, short- and blunt-snouted shark with two almost equal-sized dorsal fins; papillose thick lips; small slender-cusped upper teeth and very large lower teeth with erect triangular serrated cusps and distal blades; first dorsal fin on back with its origin behind the pectoral rear tips and its base closer to the pectoral base than the pelvic fins; and caudal fin with the ventral lobe not expanded (Ref. 247). Dark grey-brown to black; trailing edges of fins translucent (Ref. 26346).

Found on outer continental and insular shelves and slopes (Ref. 247). Mainly found on or near the bottom but readily occurs well off the substrate (Ref. 247, 58302). Often pelagic (Ref. 58302). Found singly or in small schools (Ref. 6871). Feeds mainly on deepwater bony fish, but also skates, other sharks (etmopterids in Ref. 123656), cephalopods and crustaceans (Ref. 5578). This bioluminescent shark (currently the largest luminous vertebrate) emit light ventrally to counterilluminate which might be used to illuminate the ocean floor while searching/hunting for prey; or to stealthily approach prey, using counterillumination camouflage, before striking fast when it is close enough (Ref. 123656). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205), with 10-20 young born at 30-42 cm (Ref. 26346). Used for its squalene liver oil, leather and meat, as well as for fishmeal (Ref. 6871).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Ovoviviparous (Ref. 247). 10-20 young born at 30-42 cm (Ref. 26346); 10-16 young born at 30 cm TL (Ref.58048). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 1 - Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/1):1-249. Rome, FAO. (Ref. 247)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Vulnerable (VU) (A2bd+3d); Date assessed: 03 July 2017

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

FAO(Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FIRMS (Stock assessments) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Trophic ecology
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Ecology
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Distribution
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BRUVS - Videos

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Physiology
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Visual pigment(s)
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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 2.5 - 14.3, mean 5.3 (based on 3093 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 1.0020 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00372 (0.00141 - 0.00976), b=3.12 (2.89 - 3.35), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.2 ±0.4 se; based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec=10-20).

Prior r = 0.27, 95% CL = 0.18 - 0.40, Based on 1 data-limited stock assessment.

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High to very high vulnerability (65 of 100).

Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649): Moderate vulnerability (38 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Dalatias licha (Bonnaterre, 1788)