Author: Krefft, 1968
Diagnostic Features:
A moderately stout-bodied lanternshark with a short tail, distance from pelvic insertions to ventral caudal origin somewhat less than tip of snout to first gill openings, 1.4 to 1.6 times in distance between pectoral and pelvic bases, and about equal to interdorsal space; distance between pectoral and pelvic bases moderately long in adults, about 1.3 times head length; distance from snout tip to first dorsal spine about equal to distance from first dorsal spine to upper caudal origin. Head width about equal to preoral snout. Prespiracular length about 1.5 times distance from spiracles to pectoral origins; gill openings very short, about as wide as spiracle, 1/3 eye length or less; upper teeth generally with less than 3 pairs of cusplets. Origin of first dorsal fin well behind free rear tips of pectoral fins, first dorsal base somewhat closer to to pelvic bases than pectorals; interdorsal space short, about as long as distance from snout tip to spiracles; second dorsal fin much larger than first and about twice its area; distance between second dorsal base and upper caudal origin about equal to interdorsal space; caudal fin moderately long and slender, length of dorsal caudal margin about equal to head length. Lateral trunk denticles with very slender, hooked conical crowns, wide-spaced but not arranged in regular longitudinal rows; snout covered with denticles; no rows of greatly enlarged denticles on flanks above pectoral fins. Distal margins of fins largely covered with skin, not fringed with naked ceratotrichia. Colour blackish-brown above, with underside of snout and abdomen grading to black, with an inconspicuous elongated but broad black mark running above and behind pelvic fins, and other elongated black marks at caudal fin base and along its axis.
Geographical Distribution:
Western Atlantic: Virginia, Florida (USA); Uruguay and Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: South Africa.
Habitat and Biology:
A lanternshark from the outer continental shelves and upper slopes, on or near bottom at depths of 100 to 1000 m; also epipelagic and mesopelagic at depths of 70 to 480 m over water 2240 m -deep off Argentina.
Size:
Maximum total length about 33 cm, males mature at or above 26 cm, females mature at 33 cm.
Interest to Fisheries:
None at present.
Type material:
Holotype: Institut fur Seefischerei, Hamburg, ISH 1051/606, 255 mm maturing male. Type Locality: Continental slope of Uruguay, western south Atlantic, 34°01'5, 51 20'W, 600 m depth. |
