Small dogfish with green eyes. Two dorsal fins with grooved spines, second dorsal fin is larger. Origin of first dorsal fin behind the free rear ends of the pectoral fins. No anal fin.
Coloration
Blackish-brown without white markings. Luminescent organs present and irregularily scattered.
Distribution
Western Atlantic: S. Baffin Island, Greenland to Virginia, and possibly Gulf of Mexico. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland along Atlantic slope to Senegal, Guinea to Sierra Leone, Namibia and the southwestern Cape coast of South Africa.
Biology
Abundant, schooling sharks. Lives preferably in deep water over the outermost continental shelves and upper slopes at depth mostly below 275 m, maximum depth about 1600 m. They may live segregated by sex and size within a population.
Diet
Feeds on crustaceans, squids, cephalopods, jellyfish, and presumably deepwater fishes too.
Size
Maximum size about 85 cm, average size about 50 cm to 60 cm.
Reproduction
Aplacental viviparous (ovoviviparous). Litter size unknown. Size at birth about 14 cm.
Similar Species
Some similar species are known and taxonomic features have to be used to clearly distinguish between them.
Vulnerability
Category:Least Concern (LC) Criteria: - Last evaluated:2020 Trend: