A shark q for risk, that only he will know....

[sharker]

Risc, I have been surfin the net and came accross the lanternfish (Etmopterus perryi) it is sn extremely small shark that gets around 8 in. Have you ever heard of this shark? Can you tell me the minimum sized tank for one, and what else can you tell me about it? Thanks!

 

[sharker]

Wait I think it's called a lanternfish shark.

 

[mark-24]

There are a few different speices of small sharks that are fully mature are only a foot long or so, but these fish are pretty rare to science. Not much is known about many species of sharks in the Squaliforme family, many have only been identified from 5 or fewer individual specimen. One thing in common with almost all sharks in the family is that they are found in deep water, so that would be hard to replicate in a home aquarium, and makes it harder for a diver to collect the fish, that would make the price of the extremely high if you could find one. There is one species that could work if you got a hold of one, its the Etmopterus lucifer (kinda ominous huh?) or Blackbelly lanternshark, that has survived in captivity in Japan. It is only about 16 inches full grown. If you can find one of these guys, good luck. I've never heard of any lanternfish on the market, but then again I don't look for em either.
-Mark

 

[sharker]

Thanks mark! Man you know a lot on sharks also, you should be a shark. I wish they weren't rare, that would be cool to have one, but thanks again.

 

[risc]

I have only seen latern sharks in Animal Encyclopedias. I do not doubt their rarety to divers finds but most of my reading on them claims that they are abundant and caught in very deep depths. Around half a mile to a mile down. They are believed to be blind due to the lack of light at their depth and they generate electrical impulses through light producing organs in their bodies which causes them to glow. Hence the name Latern shark.
Jim

 

[mark-24]

That family of Squalformes is kinda odd, in the sense that it has the smallest sharks (Spined Pygmy, green lantern), but also some of the largest (Pacific, and Greenland Sleepers). I heard that they are luminousent. But that's were the similarities stop about luminousence. One resource says they secrete a luminous muscus, and also they have a bioluminesent bactecteria (like pinecone fish). Risc- Do all members of the family glow? I'm not sure if all do or not. Also another common thing about these sharks it that they have large green eyes. Even some of their names say that the Shortnose spurdog, or Squalus megalops. Megal-ops= big eyes. Another neat thing is the length of thier gestation period, especially for such small animals. It takes sometimes more than 2 years!
Thanks, I don't know if I have the time to be a shark, I've been doin alot at school lately.
-Mark

 

[risc]

Mark-24: I attempted to try and figure out whether they all glow or not.. Apparently the jury is still out on that. I would imagine that the answer is yes they all do, otherwise they would most likely be classifed as something different.
Jim

 

[swazo]

I believe risc is correct that they all glow. Their bellies glow to attract prey. and they are often found in schools and it is believed that they glow to keep together in the dark water. once again this is just speculation.

 

[risc]

Ok everyone here is the answer thats been printed in every book I've seen so far...
The light producing organs are referred to as photophores. The light is produced when an organic compound called luciferin is oxidized by an enzyme called luciferase inside their bodies. It creates a chemical reaction that creates about 1% energy and light is produced. The chemical reaction occurs in the sharks cells or between the cells. The light they produce can reflect many different colors, green, blue, white... etc.
Etmopterus is also not the only shark family or fish to have these light producing traits.
Jim

 

[mark-24]

I thought all did glow, but I wasn't entirely sure, and the part about the photophores and such applies to all bioluminensent creatures.
-Mark