Species page
bramble shark
Shark species in Echinorhinidae.
Echinorhinus brucus
Overview
Bramble sharks are rough-skinned deepwater sharks that look built for a very different world than a reef shark. Their thorny denticles are such a strong clue that even a partial view can be enough for a family-level identification. The family is easy to recognize by the large thorn-like denticles scattered over the body and the absence of an anal fin. The body is broad and rough-skinned rather than sleek. Bramble sharks have a patchy worldwide distribution in temperate and tropical seas, usually from outer shelf and slope waters. Records are sparse and often far apart.
They are deepwater sharks of the lower shelf and slope, usually close to the bottom or in nearby water layers.
Added from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS).
Why it matters: Those oversized dermal denticles make the skin feel more like armored sandpaper than smooth shark skin.
Common namebramble shark
Scientific nameEchinorhinus brucus
FamilyEchinorhinidae
OrderEchinorhiniformes
Max length3.1 m
Depth range0 to 0 meters
RegionNorth Atlantic Ocean, European waters, North West Atlantic
DietData not available in this offline release.
HabitatMarine waters (habitat data not available locally).
Why it stands outFamily: Echinorhinidae
What this shark is
The family is easy to recognize by the large thorn-like denticles scattered over the body and the absence of an anal fin. The body is broad and rough-skinned rather than sleek.
Where it lives
Bramble sharks have a patchy worldwide distribution in temperate and tropical seas, usually from outer shelf and slope waters. Records are sparse and often far apart.
They are deepwater sharks of the lower shelf and slope, usually close to the bottom or in nearby water layers.
How it differs from similar sharks
Family: Echinorhinidae
Compare it against prickly shark, Porbeagle, and Darkie Charlie.
Why it is notable
Human contact is minimal, with most records from fishery bycatch or strandings. Their rarity makes any added mortality meaningful.
Species-level taxonomy was verified from Sharkipedia's current species list and taxonomy workbook. In this pass, the narrative fields are cautious family-level placeholders synthesized from broad shark references, chiefly the FAO Sharks of the World catalogue, because a stronger multi-source species-level synthesis was not assembled here without risking invented detail. Replace this with a direct species-level synthesis before publication in the app.
Related shark pages
These links are meant to help readers continue through related species, not force extra clicks.
prickly shark
Shark species in Echinorhinidae.
4.0 m max
Porbeagle
Common name: Atlantic mackerel shark
Shark species in Lamnidae.
3.5 m max
Darkie Charlie
Common name: Kitefin shark
Shark species in Dalatiidae.
1.8 m max
Greenland shark
Shark species in Somniosidae.
7.3 m max