bramble shark
Echinorhinus brucus
Large, slow deep-water shark with skin covered in tack-shaped spines. It has records along Brazil's coast and is occasionally caught from the beach.
Also called: tubarão-espinhoso, tiburón espinoso, pez clavo, bramble shark
- maximum
- 310 cm
- depth
- 350–900 m
who is the bramble shark
The bramble shark is a deep-water shark of the family Echinorhinidae, rare, large and slow, with a sturdy body and skin with tack-shaped spines. It reaches 310 cm, and its common size is 200 cm. It lives on the shelf and slope, usually between 350 and 900 m, and sometimes appears in shallow waters. It feeds on smaller sharks, bony fish and crabs. It is ovoviviparous, with 15 to 26 pups per litter, born at 29 to 90 cm. There are no records of attacks on people. It is sometimes hooked by beach anglers and has little commercial use.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the bramble shark.
fun facts
- It may be used in traditional medicine in southern Africa.
identification
Sturdy, slow body, with large tack-shaped spines scattered over the skin, which is also the source of its Spanish name, pez clavo (nail fish). It has two small dorsal fins near the tail and no anal fin. The back is dark greyish purple and the belly is paler, and it may have dark spots.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Southwest and west Atlantic, with records in Venezuela, Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), Uruguay and Argentina.
Habitat: Continental slope, in deep water, usually between 350 and 900 meters deep.
coast
rules for the bramble shark
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Skin with tack-shaped spines that can cut: hold it with care and release it with minimal handling. It lives in deep water, so return it quickly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00363, b = 3.13; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Echinorhinus brucus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Echinorhinus brucusNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.