8/7/2023 0 Comments Dwarf lantern sharkThey have serrated pointed teeth – 20 to 30 are embedded in the upper jaw and about 30 to 34 are positioned in the lower jaw. They have 5 pairs of gill slits, pair of caudal fins but no anal fins. ![]() The skin is covered with thin needle-like dermal denticles which provide protection. They have a dark brownish coloration of the skin, covered with small black spots which give them a distant appearance. They have large bulgy eyes, giving them clear vision even in the darkness. The long and flattened head of the sharks covers about one-third length of their body. These species of sharks are the smallest among all the species of sharks that can grow to a maximum length of 6 to 6.8 inches – even smaller than your palm. What Do Dwarf Lantern Sharks Physically Look Like? They are spotted in the coastal waters of Colombia, Barranquilla, Venezuela, Santa Marta, South America, in the Pacific Ocean, Los Testigos Island, near the Guajira Peninsula, and Grenada. They prefer to roam in the deepest part of the ocean probably in the benthic zone at the depth of 3,300 to 9,800 feet or 1,000 to 3,000 meters or even more. The Dwarf Lantern Shark mostly lives near the floor of the ocean, they are rarely spotted near the shoreline. What Habitat Do Dwarf Lantern Shark Preferred For Living? Let’s take a deep dive into the extended ocean to reveal more amazing realities about Dwarf Lantern Sharks. Due to their extremely small size, these sharks are not the main target of the fisherman instead they are accidentally trapped in the fishing net. The sharks were first spotted in the Caribbean Sea in 1964. It is the smallest species among the other 7 Lantern sharks. The smallest known species of shark that lives in the deep extended oceans are Dwarf Lantern Shark. What if we tell you about the existence of shark species that are smaller even than the size of human hands? This might be true in the case of some sharks but for all species. Lifespan of dwarf lantern shark is unknown.Whenever you think of the word “shark” it may create a giant and fearsome image of an ocean creature that has sharp razor-like teeth. Young sharks are 2.2 to 2.4 inches long at birth. Female gives birth to 2 to 3 babies after gestation that lasts less than one year. Females start to mate when they reach length of 6.1 inches.ĭwarf lantern sharks have internal fertilization. Males become ready to reproduce when they reach length of 6.3 to 6.9 inches. Sexual maturity of dwarf lantern sharks depends on the body length. They possess photophore, organ which emits light, located on the bottom side of the body (on the belly and fins).ĭwarf lantern shark produces light to attract the prey and to become invisible to the predators that swim below them (glowing belly masks the silhouette of the shark when looking from below).ĭwarf lantern sharks are often targeted by parasites which shorten the lifespan of these creatures. Like many deep sea creatures, dwarf lantern sharks have bioluminescent properties. Its diet consists of miniature crustaceans, called krill.ĭwarf lantern shark are named that way because they are small (dwarf) and able to glow in the dark (lantern). Skin of dwarf lantern shark is covered with thin, randomly arranged, V-shaped scales called dermal denticles.ĭwarf lantern shark is a carnivore (meat-eater). There are 20 to 23 rows of teeth in the upper jaw and 30 to 34 rows of teeth in the lower jaw.ĭwarf lantern shark has 5 small gill slits on the lateral side of the body. Teeth of dwarf lantern shark are designed for cutting and slicing. Due to life in almost complete darkness, dwarf lantern sharks have large, elongated eyes which facilitate visualization of the surrounding objects.ĭwarf lantern shark has short trunk, large dorsal fin covered with grooved spines, and short caudal fin. Black line stretches along dorsal side of the body.ĭwarf lantern sharks have long, flattened head that usually occupies one third of the body. Ventral side of the body is covered with black markings. Females are slightly larger than males.ĭwarf lantern sharks are dark brown colored. It usually grows 6 inches in length and has 0.5 ounces of weight. ![]() Exact number of remaining dwarf lantern sharks in the wild is unknown.ĭwarf lantern shark is the smallest shark in the world. However, they often end up trapped in the fishing nets as a result of by-catch (accidentally captured). Due to their small size, dwarf lantern sharks are not on a target of fishermen. ![]() It lives on a depth of 1000 to 1500 feet near the coast of South America. This shark can be found only in the Caribbean Sea. Dwarf lantern shark was discovered recently (in 1964). Dwarf lantern shark is the smallest of the seven known species of lantern sharks.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |