Prickly Shark (Echinorhinus cookei). Illustration: R. Aidan Martin

Bramble sharks are named for thorn-like 'dermal denticles' that grow over their body. Bramble sharks are rare, although widely distributed. Living towards the bottom in moderately to very deep waters, bramble sharks are believed to attack their prey by sucking them in and then expanding the mouth to vacuum them in further.

Until recently, bramble sharks were included among the dogfish sharks in the Squaliforme order, but molecular and other analysis warranted a separate order.