Hexanchus

Taxobox
name = "Hexanchus"
fossil_range = Fossil range|196|0 Sinemurian to Present [cite journal
last = Sepkoski
first = Jack
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = A compendium of fossil marine animal genera (Chondrichthyes entry)
journal = Bulletins of American Paleontology
volume = 364
issue =
pages = p.560
publisher =
location =
date = 2002
url = http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=575&rank=class
doi =
id =
accessdate = 2008-01-09 ]


image_caption = Bluntnose sixgill shark
"Hexanchus griseus"
Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Chondrichthyes
subclassis = Elasmobranchii
ordo = Hexanchiformes
familia = Hexanchidae
genus = "Hexanchus"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

Hexanchus is a genus of deepwater sharks in the family Hexanchidae. These sharks are characterized by broad pointed heads, six pairs of gill slits, comb-like lower teeth, and a long tail. It can grow 4.85 (16 ft) long and weigh over 600 kg (1320 lb).cite book |last=Kindersley |first= Dorling |year=2001,2005 |title=Animal |location=New York City |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=0-7894-7764-5]

Extant Species

* Bluntnose sixgill shark, "Hexanchus griseus" (Bonnaterre, 1788)
* Bigeye sixgill shark, "Hexanchus nakamurai", (synonym "Hexanchus vitulus") (Teng, 1962)

See also

* Shark teeth

References

*

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHuvs9Qqa5o&eurl=http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/video-massiv-esix-gill-shark-3-330-feet-15432.html Large specimen filmed at 1,000 m depth]