Caribbean lanternshark (Etmopterus hillianus)

Scientific name: Etmopterus hillianus Poey, 1861

The Caribbean lanternshark (Etmopterus hillianus) is a marine fish of the family Etmopteridae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Virginia to southern Florida (USA), Cuba, Bermuda, and St. Kitts; including Brazil. Eastern Atlantic.

Biology

Inhabits the upper continental and insular slopes. Found on sandy bottoms. Ovoviviparous with 4 to 5 young in a litter.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Etmopterus hillianus
Family: Etmopteridae (Lantern sharks)
Order: Squaliformes (Bramble, Sleeper and Dogfish sharks)
Class: Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length: 50.0
Depth range: 180–717 m (591–2352 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 180 - 717 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Western Atlantic: Virginia to southern Florida (USA), Cuba, Bermuda, and St. Kitts; including Brazil. Eastern Atlantic.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
Resilience: Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=4)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026