Species: Etmopterus hillianus, Blackbelly lanternshark, Caribbean lanternshark

D1 origin just behind pectoral free rear tip

no black blotches under tail
Etmopterus hillianus (Poey, 1861)
Caribbean lanternshark, Blackbelly lanternshark
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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- Data
- Carnivore
- Diet
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- Data
- Bony fishes
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Egg Type
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- Live birth
- No pelagic larva
- Data
- Global Endemism
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- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- All species.
- Regional Endemism
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- GC non-endemic
- Extends North of GC
- Continent
- All species..
- Continent + Island (s)
- Island (s)
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Temperate (>35N)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- 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