| Etmopteridae (Lantern sharks) |
| 45.1 cm TL (male/unsexed); 50.9 cm TL (female) |
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pelagic-oceanic; marine; depth range 480 - 1200 m |
| Southeast Atlantic and Southwest Indian Ocean: South Africa, southern Mozambique and Madagascar Ridge. |
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Vertebrae: 85-88. This relatively large linear-denticled lanternshark of the E. lucifer clade is distinguished from all other clade members, except for three species, by an anterior flank marking branch longer than its posterior branch; differs from its closest congener E. sculptus by an indistinct color gradation between the flank and abdomen (vs. a sharp demarcation between the flank and abdomen), a V-shape arrangement of ampullae on the ventral snout surface with evenly distributed dermal denticles (vs. U-shape with sparse denticle coverage, dorsal fins densely covered with dermal denticles (vs. sparse or mostly bare dorsal fins), higher vertebral count 85-88 (vs. 78-85), and spiral valve turn 11 (vs. 8-9) counts; differs from the other two closest species, E. lailae and E. lucifer, by a longer posterior flank marking branch extending to or beyond the end of the second dorsal fin free rear tip (vs. shorter branch not reaching the rear tip), an upper caudal lobe with a dark terminal band or spot, which is absent in these other two species, and biogeography with the new species occurring in the southern African region (vs. the central and western Pacific Ocean) (Ref. 124468). |
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Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 March 2022 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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