For example, the Caribbean lanternshark lives at depths of up to 2,362 feet (720 m), and the fringed lanternshark can be found up to 3,000 feet (914 m) beneath the ocean’s surface. These, like most species of lanternshark, prefer deep, cold water. The smooth and broadbanded lanternsharks inhabit depths of up to 3,281 feet. Illustration of a smooth lanternshark from 1843 Other species, like the smooth lanternshark, are more widely distributed, ranging throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The fringefin lanternshark is native to the western central Atlantic, while the broadbanded and Caribbean lanternsharks are found in the western and southeastern Atlantic. Other species, such as the velvet belly lantern shark, can be found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. It lives in the upper continental slope at depths of up to 1,440 feet (439 meters). It can be found between Barranquilla and Santa Marta off the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia. The dwarf lanternshark, the most famous of the species, is confined to a small area of the Caribbean Sea. The small sharks have between 25-25 teeth in their upper jaw and 30-34 teeth in the lower jaw, making them deadly for their smaller prey. The fringefin lanternshark reaches a maximum of eleven inches. The velvet and smooth lanternsharks grow to slightly longer lengths than the dwarf lanternshark, reaching around thirteen to fifteen inches. In deeper waters, the bioluminescence is used to attract prey. This helps them camouflage in the sunlight and shimmers in shallow waters, enabling them to hide from predators. The dwarf lantenshark, like other members of the genus Etmopterus, is capable of producing light. This smallest shark species is identifiable through its long, flathead and black ventral markings. ![]() They only grow to around 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) in length. ![]() Hence the IUCN has classified this shark as “Least Concern” or “LC”.Famously, the lanternshark is the smallest species of shark known to scientists (specifically the dwarf lanternshark). This shark has almost no interactions with humans, except getting caught as occasional bycatch. These help the sharks camouflage themselves against predators and attract prey towards themselves. Several black ventral markings are light-producing photophores, and others are pigment-containing chromatophores. Juvenile males mature at 6.3–6.9 inches and females around 6.1 inches. A litter has 2-3 pups around 2.2–2.4 inches long each. They show aplacental viviparity, where a yolk sac sustains the undeveloped young until they are born. They most likely use their bioluminescence to draw prey towards them. BehaviorĪs a deep sea species, their diet primarily consists of krill, shrimp, and small fish. ![]() They have been spotted at 928–1,440 ft depths on the upper continental shelf. Where do they liveĭwarf lanternsharks live in the Caribbean Sea, off the coasts of Colombia, including Barranquilla, Guajira Peninsula, and Santa Marta, Grenada, and the Los Testigos Islands in Venezuela. They are dark brown in color, with the ventral region having black spots and a black line along their backs. The skin is covered with dermal denticles. On the short trunk, there are several fins, with the second dorsal fin being the largest. There are also small papillae and five gill slits. In contrast, females have only one lateral cusplet pair surrounding each main cusp. Sexual dimorphism exists in the teeth in the upper row, with a single cusp flanked by two pairs of smaller cusplets. Inside the mouth are 25–32 tooth rows in the upper jaw and 30–34 in the lower one. Its head consists of a fourth or fifth of the whole body of the shark. The largest specimen recorded was about 8.3 inches. These sharks only reach lengths of 6-8 inches, making them the smallest sharks in the entire world. ![]() Interactions with humans Dwarf Lanternshark Scientific Classification
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