Physiological traits of the Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus obtained during the TUNU-Expeditions to Northeast Greenland

Greenland sharks inhabit deep and extremely cold waters, although their distribution is quite wide. Somniosus microcephalus is the largest fish species in the Arctic Ocean, but is known to also thrive in more temperate North Atlantic. Its ecological role in the marine ecosystem is likely to be affected by climate change. S. microcephalus is one of the longest-living vertebrate species. Within TUNU, it has become the target of joint investigations, including migration and genetic structuring, life history, oxygen transport, pollutant bioaccumulation, and sensory capability. This contribution mostly deals with the description of some physiological traits of the Greenland shark, S. microcephalus.