Blackmouth Lanternshark

About the Blackmouth Lanternshark

The Blackmouth Lanternshark is a small, deepwater shark of the family Etmopteridae. It occurs off northwest Western Australia, in the Arafura Sea near Indonesia, and off Papua New Guinea in the Indo-West Pacific. It is a bathypelagic species recorded along the continental slope at depths of 430 to 689 m (1,410–2,260 ft).

Biology and Description

The Blackmouth Lanternshark has a slender body and relatively narrow eyes, with a pale, naked patch on the upper eyelid. The dorsal and ventral coloration are strongly contrasted. Its dorsal and ventral coloration are strongly contrasted. The upper half of its body lacks dots or dashes, while prominent dark bands are present at the tip and across the middle of the caudal fin. Its denticles are extremely dense, thin, and delicate, and are poorly organized into distinct rows. The species is small and reaches at least 34 cm (13.4 in) in total length.

Reproduction

Blackmouth lanternsharks are ovoviviparous, meaning that embryos develop inside the mother’s body and are nourished by yolk. Males mature at approximately 26 cm (10.3 in) in total length.

Conservation

There are no major deepwater fisheries operating throughout the known range of the Blackmouth Lanternshark, and the species is not directly targeted. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, and there are currently no conservation measures in place for this species. Part of its Australian range may overlap with marine reserves in the Northwest Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network.

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