six-gilled shark

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large primitive shark widely distributed in warm seas

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A six-gilled shark refers to any species within the family Hexanchidae, characterized by having six gill slits on each side of their head, a single dorsal fin, and a tail where the upper lobe is markedly longer than the lower lobe. These sharks are primitive, deep-sea species known to be among the largest fish in the world. Examples include the bluntnose sixgill shark and the bigeye sixgill shark.