Common Name
Fringefin Lanternshark
Year Described
Bigelow, Schroeder, and Springer, 1953
Identification
This lanternshark is fairly slender with a fairly short snout (distance from snout to orbit similar or less than the distance from the rear orbit to the first gill slit). Anterior nasal flap is short. There are two dorsal fins, the second being much larger than the first. Distance between them is much longer than the distance from the snout to pectoral base. Both have a spine on the anterior margin. First dorsal originates well posterior to the rear margin of the pectoral fin and is equidistant from the pectoral and pelvic fin. Pectoral fin is squared off and very small. Anal fin is absent. Pelvic fins originate anterior to the second dorsal but rear of fin is right under second dorsal origin. Distance from pelvic to caudal base much less than distance between pelvic origin and pectoral base. Caudal fin is long (about distance from snout to pectoral base). Rear margins of fins with broad fringes. Teeth in lower jaw are different from the upper jaw. Upper jaw teeth are narrow with a broad, erect central cusp and 2-3 pairs of lateral cusplets. The lower jaw teeth are block-like, with very low and flattened cusps with a lateral notch. Upper jaw: 32-38 teeth; lower jaw: 32 teeth. Denticles close-packed, tiny, and bristle-like, with four-pointed bases, that are randomly arranged.
Color
Sooty gray to dark brown, with darker markings on the belly, lower head, and the area behind the pelvic fins. A pale spot present on the upper head (pineal spot). A couple of faint dash-lines on side and one on dorsum may be luminescent.
Size
Mature adults around 27cm TL. Maximum size to around 30cm TL.
Habitat
Deep water from 380-730m. Feeds on squid.
Range
Western Atlantic: Northern Gulf of Mexico
References
Castro, J.I. 2011. The Sharks of North America. Oxford University Press, 640 pp.
Compagno, L., M. Dando, and S. Fowler. 2005. Sharks of the World. Princeton University Press, 480 pp.