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Species: Etmopterus bullisi, Lined Lantern Shark

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head flattened
D1 origin over pectoral
denticles sharp, in rows, skin very rough
abruptly black below

Etmopterus bullisi Bigelow & Schroeder, 1957

Lined Lantern Shark

Body slender; head and snout flattened, at level of eyes head is wider than deep; snout bluntly wedge-shaped from above, long, flat; no nictitating eyelids; spiracle large, behind eye; mouth short, at acute angle; upper teeth with a large central point plus 1 (female) to 2 (male) smaller points on each side, 25-30 rows, lower teeth compressed and blade-like, with small, oblique tips, 32-34 rows; five gill slits, all before pectoral base, broad; two dorsal fins, second ~twice area of first, both with long thick grooved spines; first dorsal with origin over inner pectoral margin or free rear tip, fin much nearer pectoral fin axil than to origin of pelvics; space between dorsal fins ~distance between snout tip & 1st gill slit; pectoral broadly rounded; no anal fin; no ridges between pectoral and pelvic fins, no precaudal pits, no keel on tail base; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, notch at top, relatively short (top margin length ~snout tip to pectoral origin); fins without rear fringes; denticles stout, thorn-like, in conspicuous longitudinal rows on head and body, those on sides of body with sharp, curved points, skin feels very rough.

Dark sooty grey; underside abruptly black; a light stripe from between eyes to 1st dorsal fin; a vague yellow spot between eyes; elongate black marks above & behind pelvics, and along tail base, extending onto base of tail fin.; luminescent organs a row of black dots along midline of back from nape to base of tail fin, those sometimes in a white stripe.

Size: 30.3 cm.

Habitat: Continental slopes

Depth: 274-824 m.

SE USA to the southern Caribbean.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Offshore
  • Offshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom + water column
  • Near Bottom
Habitat
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Water column
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
  • No pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Data deficient
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 30.3
Depth Range Min
  • 274
Depth Range Max
  • 824