The blackbelly lanternshark or lucifer shark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found around the world in tropical and temperate seas at depths between 150 and 1,250 meters – the mesopelagic zone. Compared to other mesopelagic fish predators and invertebrates, the blackbelly lanternshark is thought to reside in shallower, more southern waters. E. lucifer can reach up to 47 centimeters in length and consumes mesopelagic cephalopods, fish, and crustaceans. Blackbelly lanternsharks are bioluminescent, using hormone controlled mechanisms to emit light through ventral photogenic organs called photophores and are presumed to be ovoviviparous. The blackbelly lanternshark has been classified as "Not Threatened" within the New Zealand Threat Classification System.
The rasptooth dogfish is a dogfish, found on the Kyushu–Palau Ridge in the northwest Pacific Ocean at depths of 360 m. Its maximum length is unknown. This species was originally described as Centroscyllium sheikoi, and subsequently allocated to the newly named genus Miroscyllium based on anatomical features not shared with other Centroscyllium. More recent molecular data suggest this species belongs to the genus Etmopterus, but as of June 2014 Miroscyllium sheikoi remains the valid name recognized by FishBase, the Catalog of Fishes World Register of Marine Species, and the IUCN
Etmopterus is a genus of lantern sharks in the squaliform family Etmopteridae. They are found in deep sea ecosystems of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The smooth lanternshark or slender lanternshark is a species of dogfish shark in the family Etmopteridae, found widely in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It inhabits benthic environments at a depth of 274–1,000 m (899–3,281 ft), and pelagic environments at a depth of 0–708 m (0–2,323 ft). The smooth lanternshark forms a species group with the larger blurred lanternshark, both of which are distinguished from other members of their family by small, irregularly arranged dermal denticles with a truncated shape. This species has a slender, dark brown body with an indistinct black band on the sides over the pelvic fins, and reaches 50 cm (20 in) in length. This slow-growing, ovoviviparous shark feeds on smaller squid, fishes, and fish eggs. Smooth lanternsharks are often caught as bycatch in eastern Atlantic and Japanese commercial fisheries. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has evaluated this species as of Least Concern because of its wide distribution and limited threats.
The short-tail lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the western Pacific between latitudes 37°N and 30°S, at depths of between 450 and 900 m. Its length is up to 50 cm (20 in).
The cylindrical lanternshark or Carter Gilbert's lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found along the Caribbean coast of Colombia in South America, at depths of between 285 and 355 m. Its maximum length is 21 cm.
The combtoothed lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae the only specimen, and holotype, being found from the South China Sea between the Viet Nam coast and Hainan Island, at a depth of between 510 and 690 m. The holotype's length is 29 cm.
The Hawaiian Lanternshark is a species of small squaliform shark in the family Etmopteridae.
The dense-scale lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the southeast Pacific off Peru and Chile.
The Caribbean lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the eastern and western Atlantic at depths between 180 and 720 m. Its length is up to 50 cm.
The smalleye lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the southeast Pacific off Peru and Chile, at depths between 630 and 1,100 m. Its length is up to 61 cm (24 in).
The African lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the eastern Atlantic between latitudes 12°N and 18°S, at depths between 300 and 1,000 m. Its length is up to 30 cm.
The great lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the northeast and northwest Atlantic. Its name was given because, at the time of its discovery, it was thought to be bioluminescent, but this has been challenged.
The thorny lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the western Indian Ocean between latitudes 0° and 31°S, at depths between 200 and 500 m. Its length is up to 27 cm.
The brown lanternshark or bristled lanternshark is a little-known species of deep-sea dogfish shark in the family Etmopteridae. It is found off Japan and New Zealand, and possibly also South Africa and Australia, typically deeper than 300 m (980 ft). This species can be distinguished from other lanternsharks by its coloration, which is a uniform dark gray or brown without the ventral surface being much darker and clearly delineated from the rest of the body. The brown lanternshark feeds on small bony fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans. Reproduction is ovoviviparous, with females giving birth to 9–18 young. An unusually high proportion of individuals in Suruga Bay are hermaphrodites, with both male and female characteristics.
The tailspot lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found around New Caledonia, at depths of between 640 and 800 m. Its length is up to 31 cm.
The pink lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found around Australia and New Caledonia, at depths of between 110 and 880 m. Its length is up to 41 cm.
Etmopterus dislineatus, sometimes called the lined lanternshark, is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the central Coral Sea at depths of between 590 and 800 m. Its length is up to 45 cm.
The pygmy lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the eastern Indian Ocean from northern Western Australia and possibly Java, at depths of between 430 and 550 m. Its length is up to 26 cm.
The West Indian lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the western central Atlantic, at depths between 400 and 800 m. Its length is up to 31 cm (12 in).
