Observations on the Greenland Shark, Somniosus microcephalus , in Northern Baffin Island

• Published in: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
• Main Authors: Beck, B., Mansfield, A. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1969
• Subjects: Arctic; Baffin Island; Greenland; Baffin; Monodon monoceros; narwhal*; Somniosus microcephalus; White whale
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f69-013; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f69-013

Eighteen immature Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus (Bloch and Schneider) 1801) were captured during the course of a study on the biology of the narwhal, Monodon monoceros. Most had been feeding on offal resulting from the whaling operation and on fish and seal meat discarded at the campsite. Other food consumed included two egg cases of the arctic skate, Raja hyperborea, previously unrecorded from this locality. Four narwhals and one white whale were attacked in the nets, the sharks removing large chunks of skin and blubber from the carcasses.