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Species: Etmopterus gracilispinis, Broadband Lantern Shark

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

head flattened, wide
obscure dark marks below
D1 well behind pectorals
denticles pointed, not in rows
under snout with denticles
pectoral narrow, angular, + hairs mostly connected to fin web

Etmopterus gracilispinis Krefft, 1968

Broadband Lantern Shark

Body stout; head and snout flattened, at level of eyes head is wider than deep; snout short, bulbous, its underside covered with denticles; no nictitating eyelids; spiracle large, behind eye; mouth short, at acute angle; upper teeth with a narrow central point plus 1 or more smaller points on each side, 24-27 rows, lower teeth compressed and blade-like, with small, oblique tips, 25-32 rows; five gill slits, all before pectoral base, very short, length ~2X spiracle; two dorsal fins, second about twice area of first, both with long thick grooved spines; first dorsal located well behind pectorals, center of first dorsal midway between pectoral fin axil and origin of the pelvics; space between dorsal fins less than distance from snout to pectoral fin origin; pectoral fin narrow and angular, front and rear margins with hair-like fringe, ends well before dorsal fin; distance between origins of pelvics and lower caudal base at least 2/3 distance between origins of pectorals and pelvics; no anal fin; no ridges between pectoral and pelvic fins, no precaudal pits, no keel on tail base; tail fin short, slender strongly asymmetrical, notch at top; denticles on sides of body with curved points, irregularly spaced, not in rows; luminescent organs from belly along tail base.

Brown above, a reddish band along the top surface, black below; a conspicuous triangular white spot on top of the head between eyes; inconspicuous black wing-like marks on flanks behind pelvic fins, black along tail base.

Size: 33 cm.

Habitat: Outer continental shelf and upper slopes.

Depth: 70-2642 m, deeper in tropical areas.

Both sides of the Atlantic, and the SW Indian Ocean; New Jersey to Argentina.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Offshore
  • Offshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Mid Water
  • Near Bottom
  • Near Surface
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Soft bottom only
  • Water column
  • Mud
FishBase Habitat
  • Bentho-Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Live birth
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Atlantic + Indian Ocean
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent only
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Extends North of GC
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 33
Depth Range Min
  • 70
Depth Range Max
  • 2642