The Fringefin lanternshark (Etmopterus schultzi) is a shark belonging to the family Etmopteridae found in the western central Atlantic from Texas to Florida, northern Gulf of Mexico, and Mexico.
Family: Etmopteridae – Lantern Sharks
Genus: Etmopterus
Species: schultzi
Phylum– Chordata
Class– Chondrichthyles
Subclass– Elasmobranchii
Common Name– Dogfish Sharks
Family– Etmopteridae
Common Name– Lantern Sharks
Genus– Etmopterus
Species– schultzi
Status: IUCN Red List LEAST CONCERN
Average Size and Length: Adult males are 27 cm/11 inches on average. Adult females have been measured between 28-30 cm/11-12 inches. The maximum recorded has been 1 foot.
Teeth and Jaw: The teeth differ in the upper and lower jaws. The teeth in the upper jaw are much smaller straight to a point. The teeth in the lower jaw are broader.
Head: They have large eyes much closer to the tip of the snout than the first gill slit.
Denticles: The trunk denticles are slender-crowned and hooked. They are wide-spaced and there are no rows of enlarged thorns on the flanks. The dermal denticles cover the snout.
Tail: They have a somewhat long tail. The dorsal tail margin is equal to the head length.
Demographic, Distribution, Habitat, Environment and Range: The Fringefin lanternshark can be found in the west Atlantic. They have been found from Texas to Florida, northern Gulf of Mexico, and Mexico. They are over continental slopes on or near the bottom between 722-3,002 feet, but mostly they stay deeper than 1,148 feet.
Aesthetic Identification: The Fringefin lanternshark have a slender body. They are light brown above and a darker dusky grey ventrally. There is an elongated narrow dusky mark above and behind the pelvic fins. There are elongated black marks at the tail base and along the axis. The gill slits are short. The first dorsal fin is behind the pectoral fins. There is an equal distance between the pectoral and pelvic fin bases. The fin margins are naked. They have prominent fringed margins made of naked ceratotrichia. The second dorsal fin is about twice the area of the first.
Biology and Reproduction: Unknown but presumably ovoviviparous.
Behavioral Traits, Sensing and Intelligence: Unknown.
Fringefin Lanternshark Future and Conservation: They are of least concern and not evaluated.
Fringefin Lanternshark Recorded Attacks on Humans: Not a threat to humans.