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 nameprickly shark
Scientific nameEchinorhinus cookei
FamilyEchinorhinidae
OrderEchinorhiniformes
Max length4.0 m
Depth range0 to 0 meters
RegionNew Zealand, New Zealand EEZ
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 bramble shark, Apristurus Exsanguis, and Gollum Attenuatus.

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.

Historic bramble shark reference image showing the bulky body and rough thorn-like denticles; not to scale.
Echinorhinus brucus

bramble shark

Shark species in Echinorhinidae.

3.1 m max