The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorized the dwarf lantern shark as 'data deficient'. This means that there's not enough data available on this species to make a proper assessment of its status.
Most people think of sharks as big, scary predators, thanks in large part to the movie Jaws! But sharks almost never bother humans unless they're hunting for food. They're not looking for trouble.
Not every shark even comes near the surface. Some live their whole lives deep in the ocean. The seas cover more than 70% of Earth, and much of that deep water is still a mystery. One tiny shark lives down there almost unseen, the dwarf lanternshark. Let's take a look at what makes it so fascinating.
Classification
The dwarf lanternshark is the smallest species of the dogshark family 'etmopteridae', present only on the upper continental slopes of Colombia and Venezuela. Its scientific name is Etmopterus perryi, named after noted shark expert Perry Gilbert. It was discovered as recently as 1964.
Appearance
The smallest known sharks grow to around 6 - 6.8 inches in length, and can fit in the palm of one's hand. The largest known fish of its kind is around 8.3 inches long.
The dwarf lanternshark has a long, flat head that takes up about one third of its whole body. Its eyes are large and bulging, which helps it see in the near-total darkness of the deep sea.
Its body is dark brown. The underside is covered with black markings. Some of those markings contain photophores, tiny organs that produce light. Others, near the pelvic fin, contain chromatophores that help the shark blend into its surroundings.
The glowing belly helps in two ways: it attracts small prey, and it hides the shark's outline from any predator looking up from below.
In the upper jaw it has 20 to 23 teeth. The lower jaw has 30 to 34 teeth.
It has a short body and black patches on its tail fin. Unlike many other sharks, it has no anal fin.
On each side of its body there are 5 small gill slits, the openings it uses to breathe underwater.
All over its skin are tiny tooth-like scales called dermal denticles. They make the skin feel rough, like sandpaper.
Like most sharks, females grow larger than males.
Diet
Their main diet consists of krill, shrimp, zooplankton, and smaller fish.
Habitat
Dwarf lanternsharks almost never come near the surface. Scientists think they live in the benthic zone, the deepest layer of the ocean. Their known range is a small strip of coastline off Colombia and Venezuela.
Reproduction
Dwarf lanternsharks give birth to live young, a process called aplacental viviparity. The pups develop inside the mother but get their nutrition from a yolk sac rather than a placenta. Each litter has just 2 to 3 pups. Because these sharks are so rarely seen, scientists don't yet know how this low birth rate affects their numbers.
Newborn pups are tiny, only 2.2 to 2.4 inches long at birth.
Test Your Dwarf Lanternshark Knowledge!
5 quick questions. How much do you know about the world's tiniest glowing shark?
Other Interesting Facts
Like many deep sea creatures, these sharks have bioluminescent properties which help them navigate in the deep sea.
Like other strange deep-sea creatures, the dwarf lanternshark uses its glow to hunt. The light draws in small prey, which the shark snaps up when they get close. At the same time, the glowing belly hides the shark's outline from any predator lurking below, a neat two-in-one trick.
This shark has a lifespan of 20 - 30 years.
Other lanternsharks belonging to the same family include:
- Velvet belly lanternshark (E. spinax)
- Caribbean lanternshark (E. hillianus)
- Brown lanternshark (E. unicolor)
- Broadbanded lanternshark (E. gracilispinis)
- Fringefin lanternshark (E. schultzi)
- Combtooth lanternshark (E. decacuspidatus)
Even though they're tiny, dwarf lanternsharks sometimes get caught by accident in fishing nets. They aren't used commercially and are usually thrown away. With their already slow reproduction rate and so little known about them, scientists can't yet say how at-risk this species really is.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the scientific name of the dwarf lanternshark?
Etmopterus perryi, named after shark expert Perry Gilbert
How big does the dwarf lanternshark get?
6 to 8.3 inches, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand
Where does the dwarf lanternshark live?
On the upper continental slopes off Colombia and Venezuela
Why does the dwarf lanternshark glow?
Bioluminescent photophores on its belly attract prey and hide its silhouette from predators below
Is the dwarf lanternshark endangered?
The IUCN lists it as Data Deficient, not enough is known about its numbers to assess its status
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Fun fact for today!The dwarf lanternshark is so small it can fit in the palm of your hand, and it glows in the deep ocean darkness!