I am pleased to announce a partnership between this website and the global Shark Observations Network, administered by Jeffrey Gallant, Director of the Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group [GEERG] in Canada.
This will allow divers to enter their sightings into a single, global database, with the Shark Obsevation Network allowing submission of photos and video as part of the initial observation.
I have honored the request of certain divers who have contributed to our project to keep the locations approximate and not make exact GPS numbers public. All locations are approximate. The recent sightings at La Jolla Cove have been public knowledge for some time now in the media and it is also a protected preserve where hunting is banned.
Also, please keep an eye out for tagged Sevengills, see picture below:
[photo: Jackie Flynn]
To Log a Sevengill Sighting:
Simply go here: http://tinyurl.com/6fpas85 , click on ‘Become a Member’ on the upper left of page, under the Log In and create a User Name and Password, which you only have to do once, and you can begin entering your Sevengill encounter data and uploading photos and video immediately.
For detailed instructions, see sidebar here on the right or top of page titled: ‘ Sevengill Encounter Form: Enter Your Data *HERE*
For more on this project, see:
Marine Science Today:
‘Are Sevemgill Sharks Making a Comeback?
http://marinesciencetoday.com/2011/06/21/are-sevengill-sharks-making-a-comeback/
Also, here: ‘San Diego Sevengill Shark Tracking Website Links with Shark Observation Network’:
http://tinyurl.com/6gynxkv
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. Notorynchus comes from two Greek words meaning ‘back’ and ‘snout’ and cepedianus is Latin for ‘spotted.’ 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.
Marine Species Identification Portal:
http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=1521
Monterey Bay Aquarium: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=n3f4wmcSJaOH2mA9dNs3Vg==
Sister site: ‘Rapture of the Deep’
http://raptureofthedeep.org
Acknowledgments:
I’d like to thank the following people for their valuable input and suggestions:
Many thanks to: Jeffrey Gallant, Director of GEERG for his help and assistance.
Vallorie Hodges, DSO of the Oregon Coast Aquarium, which has 9 Sevengill sharks: http://www.aquarium.org/
and:
Dr. David Ebert, Program Manager at the Pacific Shark Research Center, Moss Landing, CA
http://research.calacademy.org/ichthyology/staff/debert
as well as:
Alison Kock, Marine Biologist with Save Our Seas Foundation:
http://www.saveourseas.com/alisonkock
