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The shark species "Velvet belly"

Photo
Velvet belly
Velvet belly
Photo © BluePlanetArchive.com

Photo © BluePlanetArchive.com

Range Map
North America South America Africa Australia Europe Asia Coming soon Coming soon
North America South America Africa Australia Europe Asia Coming soon Coming soon
Velvet belly

Rough area of distribution

Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Animals (Animalia)
Phylum:
Vertebrates (Chordata)
Class:
Cartilagenous fishes (Chondrichthyes)
Order:
Dogfish sharks (Squaliformes)
Family:
Dogfish sharks (Squalidae)
Genus:
Etmopterus
Names
Scientific:
Etmopterus spinax
English:
Velvet belly
German:
Schwarzer Dornhai
French:
Sagre commun
Spanish:
Negrito
Appearance
Very small, stout-bodied shark. Two spiny dorsal fins. First dorsal fin origin behind the free rear tips of the pectoral fins. Second dorsal fin over the end of the pelvic fin base. Very small pectoral fins. Fairly long tail, no anal fin.
Coloration
Brown upper body, black underside of snout and body. Black, elongated margin behind and above the pelvic fin. Other black marks at caudal fin base and along its axis.
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: Iceland, Norway to Morocco, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. Azores, Cape Verde Islands, western Mediterranean. South Africa.
Biology
This lantern shark is very common and can be found close to or on the bottom, mainly between 200 m and 500 m on the outer continental shelves and upper slopes, down to maximum about 2000 m.
Diet
Feed on small fishes, molluscs, and crustaceans.
Size
Average size about 40 cm, to about 60 cm maximum.
Reproduction
Aplacental viviparous (ovoviviparous). 6 to 20 pups per litter. Size at birth between 12 cm and 14 cm. Males and females reach sexual maturity between 33 cm and 35 cm.
Similar Species
Similar species exist and taxonomic features have to be used to differentiate between the different species.
Vulnerability
Category: Vulnerable (VU)
Criteria: A2bd
Last evaluated: 2021
Trend: Decreasing




© IUCN Red List 2024. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Version 2024-2.

Danger to Humans
Harmless.

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