Dwarf Lantern Shark Holds the World's Smallest Shark Crown, Measures Just 20 Centimeters
In the popular imagination, sharks are fitted into the role of massive creatures, towering over their fellow beings. Dwarf lantern sharks (Etmopterus perryi) are an exception to this commonly held notion, IFL Science reported. They reach a maximum length of 21.2 centimeters (8.3 inches) in their lifetime, which is minuscule compared to the bigger sizes that usually come with other species of Sharks.
Dwarf lantern sharks have been categorized as the world's smallest shark, IFL Science reported. Compared to other kinds of sharks not much is known about these elusive fishes. They are rare to come across, with only a few being sighted and caught off the coast of South America. Researchers believe that the dwarf lantern sharks reside in the western central Atlantic at depths of between 283 and 439 meters (928–1,440 feet).
Dwarf lantern sharks are covered with light and dark areas all across their bodies, Fishbase reported. They have a somewhat flattened head, snout, and moderately large eyes. Researchers believe that the large eyes help the tiny fishes maximize the amount of light available to them in the depths of the ocean, IFL Science reported.
The fish's head covers the largest part of their composition, being around a fifth to a quarter of their entire body length, IFL Science reported. They have around 60 teeth, which have been found to be very sharp, perfect for supporting their carnivorous lifestyle.
Some markings found on the caught specimens of dwarf lantern sharks were revealed to contain photophores, IFL Science reported. Photophores are cells that produce light, which experts believe, implies that they glow in the dark. This feature could be aiding these fishes in attracting prey, according to the researchers.
As far as reproduction is concerned, the dwarf lantern sharks are ovoviviparous by nature. They carry an egg yolk sac, which contains sufficient nutrients to feed a litter of two or three offspring until they are born.
Experts don't have a lot of information on these fishes, because they don't exist in large numbers. According to the IUCN Red List, the species is lowest on the extinction risk scale. Researchers have cited deep-sea fishing trawlers as a huge cause of concern for the survival of these species. "A 2009 research trawl study off Caribbean Colombia found this species in 39 percent of trawls, and it made up just over 1 percent of abundance and biomass,” as per IUCN.