---
title: "Sharpnose Sevengill Shark"
description: "Heptranchias perlo — Fish. The sharpnose sevengill shark (Heptranchias perlo), also known as one-finned shark, perlon shark, sevengill cow shark, sharpsnouted sevengill or slender sevengill, is a species of shark in the family Hexanchidae, and the only living species in the genus Heptranchias."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/sharpnose-sevengill-shark
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Sharpnose Sevengill Shark

> Heptranchias perlo — Fish. The sharpnose sevengill shark (Heptranchias perlo), also known as one-finned shark, perlon shark, sevengill cow shark, sharpsnouted sevengill or slender sevengill, is a species of shark in the family Hexanchidae, and the only living species in the genus Heptranchias.

- Scientific name: *Heptranchias perlo*
- Category: `fish` (Fish)
- Habitats: `sea` (Sea & coast)
- iNaturalist observations: 49
- Wikidata: [Q1126774](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1126774)
- iNaturalist taxon: [102646](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/102646)

## Names

- en: Sharpnose Sevengill Shark
- de: Spitzkopf-Siebenkiemerhai
- es: Tiburón de siete branquias
- fr: Requin perlon
- nl: Spitssnuitzevenkieuwshaai
- pt: Tubarão-de-sete-guelras
- pl: Siedmioszpar spiczastogłowy

## Countries with the most observations

DZ (14), JP (3)

## Summary

The sharpnose sevengill shark (Heptranchias perlo), also known as one-finned shark, perlon shark, sevengill cow shark, sharpsnouted sevengill or slender sevengill, is a species of shark in the family Hexanchidae, and the only living species in the genus Heptranchias. Found almost circumglobally in deep water, it is one of the few species of sharks with seven pairs of gill slits as opposed to the usual five. The other shark species with seven gill slits is the broadnose sevengill shark. Though small, this shark is an active, voracious predator of invertebrates and fish. When caught, this species is notably defensive…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpnose_sevengill_shark

## Photo

![Sharpnose Sevengill Shark](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/sharpnose-sevengill-shark/medium.jpg)

Photo: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center · Public domain · commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heptranchias_perlo.jpg

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/sharpnose-sevengill-shark?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).