Velvet Belly Lantern Shark

Overview

The velvet belly lantern shark is a small, deepwater dogfish shark widely distributed across the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Recognized by its dark skin and distinctive lighting organs, it thrives in twilight marine environments. It features a robust body, a moderately long snout, and two dorsal fins preceded by prominent spines.

Appearance

This species derives its common name from its soft, velvety skin texture and the sharp color contrast between its dark ventral surface and brownish upper body. Its underside, flanks, and tail are embedded with specialized light-producing organs called photophores. These organs create a species-specific pattern that allows the shark to emit a faint glow.

Biology & behavior

The bioluminescence produced by the photophores serves as a form of counter-illumination, masking the shark's silhouette against downward-filtering sunlight to avoid predators from below. Females grow larger than males and reach sexual maturity at a greater length. This species is ovoviviparous, giving birth to litters of live young.

Feeding

As an active deep-sea predator, this shark relies on a varied diet consisting primarily of crustaceans, small bony fish, and cephalopods such as squid.