The pink lanternshark is a soft and stout-bodied species of modern shark belonging to the genus Etmopterus. These are deepwater dwelling lanternsharks of the family Etmopteridae.
Pink Lanternshark Scientific Classification |
|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Chondrichthyes |
| Order | Squaliformes |
| Family | Etmopteridae |
| Genus | Etmopterus |
| Scientific Name | Etmopterus dianthus |
Description
Mature males are around 1.1 feet or sometimes longer. The biggest known specimen was a male whose length was 1.3 feet.
The shark gets its name from its pink dorsal coloration. It is darker with a dusky or blackish coloration on the ventral underside. The pelvic fins, the upper caudal fin, and the caudal peduncle have distinctive black markings. These sharks also have a dark upper caudal fin tip.
They have stout bodies with fine bristle-like dermal denticles on their skin.
There exists a short spine on the low-hanging first dorsal fin. It is more than twice the size of the second dorsal fin. The second dorsal fin is almost equal in size to the fin tip.
These sharks are found in the southwest Pacific waters around Australia and New Caledonia. They dwell between depths of 2297 and 2887 feet on the bottom of upper continental shelves.
Behavior
Dietary
Like other lanternsharks, this species feeds on squid, shrimp, cephalopods, crustaceans, worms, and other cartilaginous fish.
Reproductory
The reproduction mode in the pink lanternshark is ovoviviparous. The eggs hatch inside the parent’s body and are sustained by the egg yolk remains.
Young pups measure 3.5-3.9 inches at the time of their birth.
Adaptations
The spine in their first dorsal fin may help the shark ward off predators.
Interactions with humans
The pink lanternsharks do not pose a threat to human beings. They dwell in habitats that do not fall in the fishing zone; thus, they are a species of ‘Least Concern’ as listed by the IUCN.
