Small-eye Lanternshark

About the Small-eye Lanternshark

The Small-eye lanternshark is a shark member of the family Etmopteridae, found in the southeast Pacific Ocean off Peru and Chile, at depths between 630 and 1,100 m/2,067to 3,609 ft. This species reaches a size of 61 cm/2 ft long. Reproduction is ovoviviparous, meaning an animal produces eggs that stay inside the mother’s body until they hatch. The young are then born alive.

There are no conservation actions in place for this species.

It is a possible bycatch of high-seas fisheries but it is suspected that interactions are limited. Chilean waters adjacent to its known range were subject to Orange Roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) and Alfonsino (Beryx decadactylus) fisheries in the past but these are now closed. The deep occurrence of the species also provides it with some refuge in deeper waters. Although population trend is unknown for the Smalleye Lanternshark, it is suspected to be stable based on a lack of threats. There is nothing to infer or suspect population reduction at this time and the species is assessed as Least Concern.

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Small-eye Lanternshark Gallery