Blackbelly lanternshark (Etmopterus lucifer)

Scientific name: Etmopterus lucifer Jordan & Snyder, 1902

Blackbelly lanternshark (Etmopterus lucifer)

The Blackbelly lanternshark (Etmopterus lucifer) is a marine fish of the family Etmopteridae.

Biology

Found on the outer continental and insular shelves and upper slopes. Its luminescent belly may attract prey, which consists mainly of squid (reported to bite squid bigger than itself), small bony fishes, and shrimps. Often caught in large schools which may suggest that the luminescence may also be used to keep the group together in the dark deep ocean. Ovoviviparous, size at birth about 15 cm.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Etmopterus lucifer
Family
Etmopteridae (Lantern sharks)
Order
Squaliformes (Bramble, Sleeper and Dogfish sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
47.0
Depth range
150–1250 m (492–4101 ft)
Environment
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 150 - 1250 m
Climate
Deep-water
Distribution
Southwest Atlantic: Uruguay and Argentina. Also southern Brazil. Western Indian Ocean: Tanzania to South Africa. Western Pacific: Japan to New Zealand. Southeast Pacific: Amber Seamount. A small specimen from off the Kerguelen Islands needs to be verified. Some records probably based on Etmopterus molleri and Etmopterus brachyurus.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec assumed to be

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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