New Zealand lanternshark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Zealand lanternshark |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Etmopterus
|
| Species: |
baxteri
|
 |
|
| Where this shark lives | |
The New Zealand lanternshark (Etmopterus baxteri) is a type of shark that lives deep in the ocean. It belongs to the family Etmopteridae. You can mostly find this shark off the coast of New Zealand. It also lives in the southern parts of Australia and Africa. These sharks prefer very deep water, usually between 500 and 1500 meters (about 1,640 to 4,920 feet) below the surface. People sometimes call them Baxter's dogfish or giant lantern sharks. In New Zealand, this species is not considered to be in danger.
Contents
What New Zealand Lanternsharks Eat
These sharks are carnivores, meaning they eat other animals. Their main diet includes different types of teleost fish, which are bony fish. They also enjoy eating cephalopods, like squid and octopuses. Sometimes, they will eat decapod crustaceans, such as crabs or shrimp.
Physical Traits of the New Zealand Lanternshark
New Zealand lanternsharks can grow quite large for a lanternshark. They can reach lengths of about 70 to 88 centimeters (around 2.3 to 2.9 feet). They become ready to have babies when they reach a certain size. Female sharks are mature at about 63 cm (2.07 feet). Males are mature when they are around 54 cm (1.77 feet) long. These sharks are oviparous, which means they lay eggs. Each time they reproduce, they can have between 6 and 16 pups.
These sharks are usually dark brown or black. Their bellies are even darker. They also have very dark markings near their tail fin and pelvic fins. The marking on the pelvic fin stretches from the fin's base to the side of the shark's body. There is also a small, triangle-shaped split near the back of this marking. Their snout (nose area) is short, and their eyes are large. The shark's skin feels rough. This is because of tiny, tooth-like scales called dermal denticles. These denticles can be found almost everywhere on their body, except on their dorsal fins. They have two dorsal fins. The second dorsal fin is larger and longer than the first one. This second fin also has a spine that becomes more curved as the shark gets older.
How Their Teeth Are Different
The way a New Zealand lanternshark's teeth are shaped can help tell them apart from other sharks. It can also show the difference between male and female sharks. The teeth in their lower jaw are similar for both sexes. However, the teeth in their upper jaw are different. Female sharks have pointed, spear-shaped central cusps (the main point of a tooth). This helps support their teeth. Male sharks only have narrow central cusps.
Similar Sharks
The New Zealand lanternshark looks a lot like the Southern lanternshark. Because of these similarities, scientists once thought they might be closely related. A big clue for this connection is that both sharks have dermal denticles that are always cone-shaped and spread out randomly. Other signs include a similar curved spine on the dorsal fin of young sharks and similar markings on their sides. Even with all these similarities, the Southern lanternshark mainly lives off the coast of South America. The New Zealand lanternshark, as its name suggests, lives near New Zealand.
