Short-tail Lanternshark

About the Short-tail Lanternshark

The Etmopterus brachyurus, or Short-tail Lanternshark, is a small, deepwater lanternshark restricted to areas like Japan, the Philippines and off eastern and western Australia. Found on the upper continental slope of the northwest Pacific ocean, 400-610 metres deep, this shark can be misidentified with other lanternsharks due to their poorly defined distribution and occurrence.

Biology

The Short-tail Lanternshark can reach up to 50 cm total length. Females are ovoviviparous and are reported to have five to 13 embryos per litter, with pups ranging in size from 11 to 13 cm in length. Males of this species reach maturity at 33 cm and females at 40 cm.

Conservation and Tourism

This species is not known to be utilized or traded by fisheries, but may be caught as bycatch in deepwater trawl fisheries. There are no specific conservation methods in place for the Short-tail Lanternshark and more information on biology, ecology and importance to fisheries is needed for future assessments. They’re considered Data Deficient. 

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