Hawaiian lanternshark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hawaiian lanternshark |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Etmopterus
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| Species: |
villosus
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| Range of the Hawaiian lanternshark (in blue) | |
The Hawaiian Lanternshark (Etmopterus villosus) is a small type of shark. It belongs to a group of sharks called squaliform sharks and is part of the family Etmopteridae, which are known as lanternsharks.
What Does It Look Like?
The Hawaiian lanternshark has a small, strong body. Female sharks can grow to about 65.2 centimeters (25.7 inches) long. Males are a bit smaller, reaching about 62.4 centimeters (24.6 inches).
These sharks have a dull color, mostly browns and blacks on their top half. Their underside is even darker. You can spot a black mark just above their pelvic fin. Their gills are about 6.25 millimeters (0.25 inches) long.
Another interesting feature is their second back fin. It's larger than the first one, but it's only about half the length of the first fin. Also, unlike many sharks, the spine of the Hawaiian lanternshark has a slight curve instead of being straight.
Where Does It Live?
These sharks live deep in the ocean around the Hawaiian Islands. They can be found at depths of about 1.61 kilometers (1 mile). Some have been seen further north in the Hawaiian island chain. Scientists have found them near places like the Koko seamount and South Kanmu seamounts, which are underwater mountains.
Humans and the Lanternshark
Because these sharks live so deep in the ocean, they don't often meet humans. The only times people usually encounter them is when deep-sea fishing nets accidentally catch them.
The Hawaiian lanternshark is not on the endangered species list. This is mainly because they live in such deep waters, far away from most human activities.
