Description

Dorsal spines (total): 2; Anal spines: 0. Dark grey (Ref. 6577) or brown dorsally, black ventrally, with a distinct black streak above and behind pelvic fins; fins lighter; belly luminous (Ref. 26346). Small and slender with a moderately elongate caudal peduncle and with flank denticles mostly arranged in regular rows. The base of the pelvic flank marking is under the second dorsal-fin spine, the anterior branch is usually longer than the posterior branch, and the caudal marking is considerably longer than the precaudal marking (Ref. 6871).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Elasmobranchii

Order: Squaliformes

Family: Etmopteridae

Genus: Etmopterus

Species: Etmopterus lucifer Jordan & Snyder, 1902

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Found on the outer continental and insular shelves and upper slopes (Ref. 247). Its luminescent belly may attract prey (Ref. 26346), which consists mainly of squid (reported to bite squid bigger than itself), small bony fishes, and shrimps (Ref. 247). Often caught in large schools which may suggest that the luminescence may also be used to keep the group together in the dark deep ocean (Ref. 26346). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205), size at birth about 15 cm (Ref. 6871).

Habitat

oceanic