Spined pygmy shark (Squaliolus laticaudus)

Scientific name: Squaliolus laticaudus Smith & Radcliffe, 1912

Spined pygmy shark (Squaliolus laticaudus)

The Spined pygmy shark (Squaliolus laticaudus) is a marine fish of the family Dalatiidae.

Biology

An oceanic, wide-ranging, tropical pelagic species occurring near continental and insular land masses, sometimes over the shelves, but usually over the slopes. Displays vertical migrations on a diel cycle, seen at the bottom during the day and travels to 200 m at night. Feeds on deepwater squid, lanternfish, gonostomatids and idiacanthids, and probably follows its prey on their diel migrations. Ovoviviparous. Has well-developed photophores densely covering the ventral part of the body and sparsely seen on the sides and hardly developed on the dorsal surface.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Squaliolus laticaudus
Family
Dalatiidae (Sleeper sharks)
Order
Squaliformes (Bramble, Sleeper and Dogfish sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
22.0
Depth range
200–1200 m (656–3937 ft)
Environment
Marine; bathypelagic; oceanodromous; depth range 200 - 1200 m
Climate
Deep-water
Distribution
Nearly circumtropical. Western Atlantic: off Bermuda, southern Brazil, and northern Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: off France and Madeira. Western Indian Ocean: off Somalia. Western Pacific: Japan, Taiwan and Philippines, as well as Australia.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 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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