Knifetooth Dogfish Jaw with Data ex Dr.Gordon Hubbell

NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

Knifetooth Dogfish Jaw with Data (Scymnodon ringens)

The name is not hyperbole. The lower teeth of Scymnodon ringens are genuinely knife-like — enormous, high-cusped blades that stand in stark contrast to the small, lanceolate upper teeth, creating one of the most dramatically asymmetric dentitions in any shark jaw. This is a specimen that announces itself the moment someone looks into it. From Dr. Gordon Hubbell's collection comes a jaw that pairs this arresting morphology with the locality data and provenance that elevates it from curiosity to serious scientific artifact.

Species & Classification

• Scientific Name: Scymnodon ringens (Barbosa du Bocage & de Brito Capello, 1864)
• Common Names: Knifetooth Dogfish, Knife-tooth Shark
• Family: Somniosidae (Sleeper Sharks)
• Order: Squaliformes
• Etymology: Scymnodon derives from scymnus, an ancient name for a type of shark from the Greek word for "young animal, cub or whelp," and odon (Greek for tooth), referring to the large, triangular cutting teeth on the lower jaw; ringens is Latin for "gaping," referring to its large, wide open mouth FishBase

Biology & Physical Characteristics

• Black in color; small dorsal fin spines; short snout; small lanceolate teeth without cusplets in the upper jaw and huge, high, knife-cusped cutting teeth in the lower jaw; mouth very wide and broadly arched; caudal fin with weak subterminal notch and no lower lobe Shark-References
• Maximum length 110 cm Shark-References
• Depth range 200–1,600 m; usually 550–1,450 m; bathypelagic FishBase
• Tooth formula: 24–25 upper tooth rows / 14–15 lower tooth rows Shark-References — with the lower teeth dramatically larger than the upper, creating the species' defining visual character
• No anal fin; two small dorsal fin spines

Habitat & Distribution

• Found in the eastern Atlantic from Scotland to Spain, Portugal, and Senegal, and the southwest Pacific from New Zealand, at depths of 200–1,600 m Wikipedia
• Eastern Atlantic range runs along the continental slope from Scotland to Senegal; also recorded from New Zealand in the Southwest Pacific FishBase
• Recorded from the continental slope; may find some refuge at depth beyond the reach of commercial fishing gear ResearchGate
• The disjunct distribution — eastern Atlantic and southwest Pacific — with no confirmed intermediate records makes any specimen with verified locality data scientifically significant

Diet & Behavior

• Likely feeds on deep-sea fishes and cephalopods, inferred from the highly specialized blade-like lower dentition adapted for cutting large prey
• Considered harmless to humans Shark-References due to its deep-water habitat and non-aggressive nature

Reproduction

• Probably ovoviviparous; exhibits distinct pairing with embrace Shark-References
• Age parameters are unknown but can be inferred from the related Longnose Velvet Dogfish (Centroselachus crepidater), which has a female age-at-maturity of 20 years, a maximum age of 54 years, and a generation length of 37 years ResearchGate — suggesting an exceptionally slow life history

Conservation Status

• Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN (2020); estimated to have undergone a population reduction of 30–49% over the past three generations (approximately 111 years) based on abundance data and exploitation levels ResearchGate
• Squalid shark landings in the Mauritanian hake fishery, including the Knifetooth Dogfish, declined from 158 tonnes to 37 tonnes, with a minimum of 3.5 tonnes reported in 1999 — a reduction of more than 99% over three generations ResearchGate
• Not included in EU Total Allowable Catch for deepwater sharks; not covered by fisheries measures Sharkwater
• High distribution overlap with intensive fishing pressure, reported declines in parts of its range, and a lack of species-specific management across its entire range ResearchGate

Misc. & Collector Facts

• The asymmetric dentition of the Knifetooth Dogfish — tiny upper teeth paired with enormous lower knife-blades — is among the most visually dramatic jaw morphologies in the entire order Squaliformes, and arguably in any shark family
• Nothing else is known of its biology beyond size and distribution ResearchGate — one of the most data-poor shark species in the North Atlantic, making physical specimens with collection data a genuine contribution to the scientific record
• Alongside the Plunket Shark (Scymnodon plunketi), this jaw represents the genus Scymnodon — a small, seldom-encountered group within Somniosidae with only four recognized species worldwide
• Usually dried and salted for human consumption where retained; taken in bottom trawls, with line gear, and with fixed bottom nets Sharkwater
• "With data" includes collection locality and specimen documentation — essential for a species with a fragmented, poorly understood distribution across two widely separated ocean regions
• Dr. Gordon Hubbell provenance adds significant authentication and collectibility value
• Ideal for: Somniosidae and sleeper shark collectors, Atlantic deepwater specimen enthusiasts, jaw morphology–focused collections, Scymnodon genus specialists, museum-quality natural history displays