Species: Etmopterus hillianus, Blackbelly Lantern Shark, Caribbean Lantern Shark
D1 origin just behind pectoral free rear tip

no black blotches under tail
Etmopterus hillianus (Poey, 1861)
Caribbean Lantern Shark, Blackbelly Lantern Shark
Body stout; head and snout flattened; no nictitating eyelids; spiracle large, behind eye; mouth short, at acute angle; upper teeth with a large central point plus usually <3 smaller points on each side, 24-26 rows, lower teeth compressed and blade-like, with small, oblique tips, 36-38 rows; five gill slits, all before pectoral base, very short; two dorsal fins, second larger (but <2X area of 1st), both with long thick grooved spines, 2nd spine larger; first dorsal with origin just behind free rear tips of pectorals, fin much nearer pectoral fin axil than origin of pelvics; space between dorsal fins ~distance between snout tip & 3rd gill slit; pectorals triangular; 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 cover snout; flank denticles with slender, hooked points, dense, not in longitudinal rows.
Head and body grey to dark brown above, black below; a pale yellow spot between eyes; elongate black mark above & behind pelvics is not divided; middle of back from nape to tail fin base with a white stripe with a central black line or row of black dots.
Size: 29.5 cm.
Habitat: Outer continental shelf and upper slopes
Depth: 180-717 m.
Virginia to the Lesser Antilles.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Offshore
- Offshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom + water column
- Near Bottom
- Habitat
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- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
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- Bathydemersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Bony fishes
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Live birth
- No pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent
- Continent + Island (s)
- Extends North of GC
- GC non-endemic
- Island (s)
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Temperate (>35N)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 29.5
- Depth Range Min
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- 180
- Depth Range Max
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- 717