Species: Etmopterus hillianus, Blackbelly Lantern Shark, Caribbean Lantern Shark

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.