pale ghost shark, continental slope dweller

Size
Length: 50–80 cm, Weight: 1–3 kg
Lifespan
15–20 years
Diet
Feeds on small crustaceans, worms and molluscs. Crushes hard-shelled prey with powerful tooth plates. Uses electroreceptors on snout to locate food buried in sediment. Feeds near seafloor at night.
Habitat
Deep continental slopes and seamounts between 200 and 600 metres depth. Prefers sandy and muddy bottoms near rocky outcrops. Often found in cold oxygen-rich waters with moderate currents.
Range
Found in deep waters around New Zealand from Northland to Campbell Plateau. Most common on Chatham Rise and off west coast of South Island. Also found in southern Australia regionally.
Endemism
Native
Main Threats
Bycatch in deep-sea trawl and longline fisheries is primary threat. Habitat damage from bottom trawling on seamounts. Slow reproduction makes populations vulnerable to overfishing. No targeted commercial fishery.
Population
Population trends poorly understood due to deep-water habitat. Caught as bycatch in target fisheries for hoki and oreo. Quota management system limits total bycatch. Better species-specific data needed for stock assessments.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Lighter coloured relative of the dark ghost shark. A ghost that is pale grey instead of chocolate. Its smooth, scale-less skin is a soft grey-brown rather than deep chocolate. A venomous spine sits in front of its first dorsal fin for defence. Like all ghost sharks, it has large, green eyes and a rabbit-like face. Its flesh is also sold as pearl fillets. Valued for its white, delicate texture. A shark that is also a menu item. The disguise is culinary. Not biological. The body is compressed and tapering. It has a large head and a pointed snout. The skin is smooth and scale-less. The colour is a soft grey-brown. This provides camouflage against the sandy bottom. The eyes are large and green. They are adapted to low light. The vision is tuned to scarcity. It detects the faintest movement. The rest is darkness. It has a venomous spine in front of its first dorsal fin. The spine is used for defence. When threatened, the ghost shark raises its spine. It warns predators to stay away. The venom is not lethal to humans. But the wound is painful. The lesson is immediate. The deterrent is effective. Against teeth, not nets. It feeds on the seafloor. It uses the electroreceptors on its snout to locate buried prey. It crushes hard-shelled prey with its tooth plates. These are made of calcified cartilage. It swallows the crushed shells and all. The digestion is thorough. The energy is extracted. The waste is minimal. The strategy is efficient. It is oviparous. It lays eggs in leathery capsules. The egg cases are often called mermaid's purses. They take months to hatch. The young are miniature versions of the adults. The cycle is slow. The protection is physical. The horns hold fast. The current tests them. The embryo grows. The release is timed. Not targeted by commercial fisheries. It is caught as bycatch in deep-sea trawls and longlines. Its flesh is sold as pearl fillets. A name that disguises its true identity. The consumer rarely knows the source. The label is benign. The reality is cartilaginous. The transformation is marketing. Not biological. The deep sea is dark. The ghost shark hovers. Pale grey and rabbit-faced. Green eyes watching. The trawl net drags. The ghost shark is caught. Its flesh becomes pearl fillets. It does not know it is being renamed. The ignorance is total. The value is external. The status is incidental. It just wanted to crush a clam. The intent was simple. The outcome is complex. The net does not care. The market does not care. The fish carries on. Until it does not.