- Classification
- CHONDRICHTHYES
- SQUALIFORMES
- CENTROPHORIDAE
- Centrophorus
- westraliensis
Centrophorus westraliensis White, Ebert & Compagno 2008
Other Names: Western Gulper Shark
A Western Gulper Shark, Centrophorus westraliensis. Source: CSIRO National Fish Collection. License: CC BY Attribution
Summary:
A moderate sized gulper shark with the dorsal fins having an anterior dark blotch (may be indistinct) and a narrow white posterior margin. Juveniles have a distinct blackish oblique blotch anteriorly and a white blotch on the upper posterior margin.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2025, Centrophorus westraliensis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Jun 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2609
Centrophorus westraliensis White, Ebert & Compagno 2008
More Info
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Distribution |
Off Cape Leeuwin to off Shark Bay, Western Australia. The species is demersal on the continental slope at depths of 616-750 m. |
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Features |
Vertebrae 112-117 centra (total), monospondylous precaudal centra; 29-33 diplospondylous precaudal centra; 85-88 precaudal centra; 27-30 diplospondylous caudal centra. Moderate in size; length of pre-second dorsal 63.8-64.9% TL, 8.8-9.7 times dorsal-caudal space; length of pre-first dorsal 31.3-32.7% TL; interdorsal space 20.3-21.5% TL, 2.8-3.1 times dorsal-caudal space; dorsal-caudal space 6.7-7.3% TL, 4.4-4.9 in pectoral-pelvic space; long and moderately robust head, its length 23.2-24.7% TL, 3.1- 3.2 times mouth width, its width 11.7-12.8% TL, 5.1-5.5 in pre-second dorsal length; width at anterior of nostrils 7.1-7.6% TL; long snout, its preoral length 10.9-12.4% TL, 2.0-2.2 times head height at anterior of mouth, 1.4-1.6 times mouth width; horizontal preorbital length 7.0-7.8% TL; horizontal prenarial length 4.5-4.9% TL; moderately large mouth, its width 7.6?7.8% TL; large pectoral fin, its anterior margin 12.9-14.2% TL, 2.6-2.8 times base length; large caudal fin, its dorsal caudal margin 17.4-20.2% TL; 2.6-2.9 times dorsal-caudal space; moderately-sized first dorsal fin, its height 5.5-6.4% TL, with relatively robust spine, its base width 1.1-1.2% TL; females and an immature male with upper teeth strongly oblique, similar in shape, but much smaller than lower teeth; 38/29.teeth count in holotype; adults with flank denticles flat, not overlapping, with scalloped edges. |
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Etymology |
Named in allusion to the known geographic range of this species (Western Australia). |
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Species Citation |
Centrophorus westraliensis White, Ebert & Compagno 2008, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper No. 022: 7, figs 5-7. Type locality: West of Point D'Entrecausteaux, Western Australia, 35°00'S, 114°42'E, depth 738-750 m. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2025 |
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Resources |
Centrophorus westraliensis White, Ebert & Compagno 2008
References
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. (as Centrophorus harrisoni, in part)
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp. (as Centrophorus harrisoni, in part, Western Australian material only)
Rigby, C.L., Braccini, J., Charles, R., Daley, R.K., Ebert, D.A. & Simpfendorfer, C. 2024. Centrophorus westraliensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T195485A124547736. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T195485A124547736.en. Accessed on 05 June 2025.
White, W.T., Ebert, D.A. & Compagno, L.J.V. 2008. Description of two new species of gulper sharks, genus Centrophorus (Chondrichthyes: Squaliformes: Centrophoridae) from Australia. pp. 1-21 in Last, P.R., White, W.T. & Pogonoski, J.J. (eds). Descriptions of new Australian chondrichthyans. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper No. 022: 1-358 http://hdl.handle.net/102.100.100/118353?index=1
White, W.T., Ebert, D.A. & Naylor, G.J.P. 2017. Revision of the genus Centrophorus (Squaliformes: Centrophoridae): Part 2--Description of two new species of Centrophorus and clarification of the status of Centrophorus lusitanicus Barbosa du Bocage & de Brito Capello, 1864. Zootaxa.4344: 86-114. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4344.1.3
White, W.T., Ebert, D.A., Naylor, G.J.P. & Ho, H.-C., et. al. 2013. Revision of the genus Centrophorus (Squaliformes: Centrophoridae): Part 1-Redescription of Centrophorus granulosus (Bloch & Schneider), a senior synonym of C. acus Garman and C. niaukang Teng. Zootaxa 3752: 035-072. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3752.1.5
