A new species of bioluminescent shark has been described from eight specimens collected off the Pacific coast of Central America at depths ranging between 2,700 and 4,700 feet (836 – 1,443 m).
The Ninja Lanternshark (Etmopterus benchleyi), adult female, 45.8 cm long. Image credit: V.E. Vásquez et al.
A team of marine biologists, led by Dr Victoria Vásquez of Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, chose the scientific name Etmopterus benchleyi for the new species. It also will be known as the Ninja Lanternshark.
“The species is named in honor of Peter Benchley, author of Jaws and subsequently an avid shark conservationist,” Dr Vásquez and co-authors explained. “His legacy, the Benchley Awards, recognizes outstanding achievements in ocean conservation.”
“The suggested common name, the Ninja Lanternshark, refers to the uniform black coloration and reduced photophore complement used as concealment in this species, somewhat reminiscent of the typical outfit and stealthy behavior of a Japanese ninja.”
The new species is a member of Etmopterus, a genus of sharks in the family Etmopteridae.
“The genus Etmopterus is one of the most species-rich genera of sharks with 38 valid species to date,” the marine biologists said.
The Ninja Lanternshark is a moderately large species of Etmopterus, no more than 20.3 inches (51.5 cm) long. Like other lanternsharks, it has light-emitting organs called photophores.
“These help them camouflage when they feed in shallower water: the lit-up belly blends in with sunlight streaming down from above,” according to scientists from Smithsonian Institution. “In darker water, the light attracts smaller animals, which these sharks prey upon.”
The eight specimens of the Ninja Lanternshark were collected, in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Nicaragua south to Panama, by D. Ross Robertson of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on the Spanish research vessel B/O Miguel Oliver.
“It is the only Etmopterus species presently known from the Pacific coast of Central America,” Dr Vásquez and co-authors said.
The scientists have documented their discovery in a paper published in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.
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V.E. Vásquez et al. 2015. Etmopterus benchleyi n. sp., a new lanternshark (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae) from the central eastern Pacific Ocean. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation 17: 43-55
