Somniosus bauchotae Quero, 1975 Scymnus rostratus Risso, 1827 The little sleeper shark (Somniosus rostratus) is a small sleeper shark of the family Somniosidae found in the northeast Atlantic, western Mediterranean, and western Pacific around New Zealand, at depths between 200 and 1,000 m. Its length is up to 1.43 m. This species is rarely encountered.

It is a bathydemersal species found above sandy mud substrate on the outer continental shelves and on the upper slopes.

Females mature at 80 cm and are aplacental viviparous, giving birth to 8–17 pups per litter.

This may partially explain the lower than expected rates of capture in deep demersal fisheries.

Although no species-specific conservation measures are in place, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean has banned bottom trawling below depths of 1000m.