Deep-Sea taxon details
Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898
105842 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:105842)
accepted
Species
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
Jordan, D. S. (1898). Description of a species of fish (Mitsukurina owstoni) from Japan, the type of a distinct family of lamnoid sharks. <em>Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences (Series 3) Zoology.</em> v. 1 (no. 6): 199-204, Pls. 11-12. [details]
Holotype ZITIU, geounit Japan
Holotype ZITIU, geounit Japan [details]
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2025). FishBase. Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898. Accessed through: Glover, A.G.; Higgs, N.; Horton, T. (2025) World Register of Deep-Sea species (WoRDSS) at: https://www.marinespecies.org/deepsea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=105842 on 2026-06-29
Glover, A.G.; Higgs, N.; Horton, T. (2026). World Register of Deep-Sea species (WoRDSS). Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898. Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/Deepsea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=105842 on 2026-06-29
Date
action
by
original description
Jordan, D. S. (1898). Description of a species of fish (Mitsukurina owstoni) from Japan, the type of a distinct family of lamnoid sharks. <em>Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences (Series 3) Zoology.</em> v. 1 (no. 6): 199-204, Pls. 11-12. [details]
context source (Deepsea) Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), available online at http://www.iobis.org/ [details]
basis of record van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source King, C.M.; Roberts, C.D.; Bell, B.D.; Fordyce, R.E.; Nicoll, R.S.; Worthy, T.H.; Paulin, C.D.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Keyes, I.W.; Baker, A.N.; Stewart, A.L.; Hiller, N.; McDowall, R.M.; Holdaway, R.N.; McPhee, R.P.; Schwarzhans, W.W.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Rust, S.; Macadie, I. (2009). Phylum Chordata: lancelets, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> pp. 431-554. [details]
additional source Compagno, L.J.V. (2001). Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). <em>FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes.</em> No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 269p. [details]
additional source McEachran, J. D. (2009). Fishes (Vertebrata: Pisces) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 1223–1316 in: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details]
additional source Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). [Checklist of marine biota of China seas]. <em>China Science Press.</em> 1267 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
additional source Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2026). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (04/2025)., available online at https://www.fishbase.org [details]
ecology source Looby, A.; Erbe, C.; Bravo, S.; Cox, K.; Davies, H. L.; Di Iorio, L.; Jézéquel, Y.; Juanes, F.; Martin, C. W.; Mooney, T. A.; Radford, C.; Reynolds, L. K.; Rice, A. N.; Riera, A.; Rountree, R.; Spriel, B.; Stanley, J.; Vela, S.; Parsons, M. J. G. (2023). Global inventory of species categorized by known underwater sonifery. <em>Scientific Data.</em> 10(1). (look up in IMIS), available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02745-4 [details]
context source (Deepsea) Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), available online at http://www.iobis.org/ [details]
basis of record van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source King, C.M.; Roberts, C.D.; Bell, B.D.; Fordyce, R.E.; Nicoll, R.S.; Worthy, T.H.; Paulin, C.D.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Keyes, I.W.; Baker, A.N.; Stewart, A.L.; Hiller, N.; McDowall, R.M.; Holdaway, R.N.; McPhee, R.P.; Schwarzhans, W.W.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Rust, S.; Macadie, I. (2009). Phylum Chordata: lancelets, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> pp. 431-554. [details]
additional source Compagno, L.J.V. (2001). Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). <em>FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes.</em> No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 269p. [details]
additional source McEachran, J. D. (2009). Fishes (Vertebrata: Pisces) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 1223–1316 in: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details]
additional source Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). [Checklist of marine biota of China seas]. <em>China Science Press.</em> 1267 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
additional source Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2026). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (04/2025)., available online at https://www.fishbase.org [details]
ecology source Looby, A.; Erbe, C.; Bravo, S.; Cox, K.; Davies, H. L.; Di Iorio, L.; Jézéquel, Y.; Juanes, F.; Martin, C. W.; Mooney, T. A.; Radford, C.; Reynolds, L. K.; Rice, A. N.; Riera, A.; Rountree, R.; Spriel, B.; Stanley, J.; Vela, S.; Parsons, M. J. G. (2023). Global inventory of species categorized by known underwater sonifery. <em>Scientific Data.</em> 10(1). (look up in IMIS), available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02745-4 [details]
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
Holotype ZITIU, geounit Japan [details]
Unreviewed
Habitat Apoorly known, bottom-dwelling shark that inhabits the outer continental shelves and upper slopes and is found offseamounts, but rarely occurs at the surface or in shallow water close inshore. Most records are on or near the continental
slopes between 270 and 960 m deep but down to at least 1 300 m, sometimes in shallower shelf waters at 95 to 137 m.
Seamount records suggest that the species is oceanic or semioceanic in addition to its known occurrences off continental
slopes. [details]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Afrikaans | kabouterhaai | [details] |
| English | tengu (goblin) sharkmitsukuri’s sharkJapanese goblin sharkgoblin sharkelphin (or elfin) shark | [details] |
| French | requin lutin | [details] |
| German | KoboldhaiGoblinhai | [details] |
| Japanese | ミツクリザメtenguzamemitsukurizame | [details] |
| Lithuanian | aitvarinis ryklys | [details] |
| Polish | mitsukurina | [details] |
| Portuguese | nasuta | [details] |
| Russian | акула-носорог или скапаноринхакула-домовойакула-гоблин | [details] |
| Spanish | tiburón duende rosadotiburón duende | [details] |
| Turkish | gulyabani köpekbalığıgoblin köpekbalığı | [details] |
To Barcode of Life (16 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (49 publications)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Mitsukurina owstoni)
To FAO Species fact sheets
To FishBase
To GenBank (27 nucleotides; 46 proteins)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To NMNH Extant Collection (Mitsukurina owstoni RAD109860-001)
To NMNH Extant Collection (Mitsukurina owstoni RAD109860-002)
To PESI
To ITIS
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (49 publications)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Mitsukurina owstoni)
To FAO Species fact sheets
To FishBase
To GenBank (27 nucleotides; 46 proteins)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To NMNH Extant Collection (Mitsukurina owstoni RAD109860-001)
To NMNH Extant Collection (Mitsukurina owstoni RAD109860-002)
To PESI
To ITIS
Unreviewed
Hosted externally
Hosted externally
