Shark

Velvet belly lanternshark

Etmopterus spinax

PacificAtlanticIndianSouthernArctic A single ocean

Eastern Atlantic, from Norway to South Africa, and the Mediterranean

Depth

Mostly 200 to 500 m, from 70 to nearly 2,500 m

Size

About 45 cm, up to 60 cm

Diet

Shrimp, small fish, squid

Zone

Twilight zone · 200 – 1,000 m

Key facts

• This small lanternshark gives off a bluish glow from its belly, which erases its silhouette when seen from below.
• The spines of its dorsal fins are outlined with light, a warning to its predators.

Verified sources

1. FishBase - Etmopterus spinax
2. Claes et al. 2013, Scientific Reports - dorsal spine-associated luminescence
3. FishBase, Etmopterus spinax

In the game: To observe

In the same zone

ViperfishChauliodus sloani Goblin sharkMitsukurina owstoni BarreleyeMacropinna microstoma Vampire squidVampyroteuthis infernalis Giant siphonophorePraya dubia Comb jellyBeroe sp.