Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33027263›Full record

ArticlePloS one2020

Assessing the reproductive biology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus).

Julius Nielsen, Rasmus B Hedeholm, Arve Lynghammar, Leon M McClusky, Bjørn Berland, John F Steffensen, Jørgen S Christiansen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Eusocial reproduction selects for longevity.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Spatial Distribution of Greenland SharkEcology and evolution · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Julius NielsenGreenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland.ORCID 0000-0002-6627-5424
Rasmus B HedeholmGreenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland.
Arve LynghammarFaculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
Leon M McCluskyFaculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Narvik, Norway.ORCID 0000-0003-0127-6415
Bjørn BerlandUniversity of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
John F SteffensenDepartment of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-4477-8039
Jørgen S ChristiansenFaculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus, Squaliformes: Somniosidae) is a long-lived Arctic top predator, which in combination with the high historical and modern fishing pressures, has made it subject to increased scientific focus in recent years. Key aspects of reproduction are not well known as exemplified by sparse and contradictory information e.g. on birth size and number of pups per pregnancy. This study represents the first comprehensive work on Greenland shark reproductive biology based on data from 312 specimens collected over the past 60 years. We provide guidelines quantifying reproductive parameters to assess specific maturation stages, as well as calculate body length-at-maturity (TL50) which was 2.84±0.06 m for males and 4.19±0.04 m for females. From the available information on the ovarian fecundity of Greenland sharks as well as a meta-analysis of Squaliform reproductive parameters, we estimate up to 200-324 pups per pregnancy (depending on maternal size) with a body length-at-birth of 35-45 cm. These estimates remain to be verified by future observations from gravid Greenland sharks.

Indexed as

AnimalsAnimals, NewbornArctic RegionsBody SizeFemaleFertilityGenitaliaGreenlandMalePregnancyReproductionSexual MaturationSharks

Identifiers

PMID33027263
PMCPMC7540863

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.