Pink Lanternshark

Overview

The Pink Lanternshark is a small deep-water shark belonging to the family Etmopteridae. Freshly caught specimens are easily distinguished by a distinct pinkish hue along their upper body, which inspired both their common and scientific species names. Like many lanternsharks, this species possesses specialized light-producing organs along its underside.

Appearance

This species features an elongated body paired with a long, wide, and dorsoventrally flattened head. Freshly retrieved individuals display a prominent pinkish color on the upper surfaces, which typically fades to a brownish-gray tone upon preservation. The ventral surface is dark, complemented by characteristic black markings situated near the anal fins, on the caudal peduncle, and along the upper section of the tail.

Reproduction

Reproduction in this species is ovoviviparous, meaning the developing embryos are sustained inside the mother until birth.