Genus Etmopterus Rafinesque, 1810
Dorsal fin spines well developed, with lateral grooves.
No precaudal pits. Upper C lobe usually with subterminal
notch, sometimes not. No keels or lateral ridges on caudal
peduncle. Small deep-water sharks with luminescent organs, characteristic dark markings on flanks above V and on
caudal peduncle. Several species, 6 known from our region.
The eastern Atlantic species Etmopterus spinax (Linnaeus)
has been reported from our area (Smith, SFSA No. 51*),
but we are unable to confirm its presence here.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Denticles on sides below 1st D flat, concave,
without any spine .................................................. E. pusillus
Ib Dentides on sides below 1st D with a definite spine .... ..... ......... 2
2a Two or 3 short rows of conspicuously enlarged
dentides on each side below 1st D; dentides with a
distinct concavity on their upper surface .................... E. sentosus
2b No conspicuous enlarged dentides on each side below 1st D;
dentides without any concavity on their upper surface ............... 3
3a Dentides in random arrangement, not in conspicuous
regular rows ............................................................... E. sp.
3b Dentides arranged in conspicuous, regular rows ...................... 4
4a Dentides on top of head not in longitudinal rows;
caudal pedunde short, length from 2nd D base to upper C
origin 0.9-1.1 times 2nd D base and 7.8-8.9% TL, length
from V base to lower C origin 2.1- 2.7 times height at
V base; black mark above V inner margins not extending in
front of V as a long narrow black bar ..................... E. granulosus
4b Dentides on top of head in longitudinal rows extending
to snout tip; caudal pedunde longer, length from 2nd
D base to upper C origin 1.2-2.1 times 2nd D base and
10.2-15.9% TL, length from V base to lower C origin
2.7-4.4 times height at V base; black mark above V inner
margins extending as a long narrow bar or line in front of V ........ 5
d
- ..L
5.11 Etmopterus brachyurus: 44 em female (off Saldanha). N, T & d as in 2.1.
5: SQUALIDAE (DOGFISHES)
5a Body slender, height at P origins 7.9-9.0% TL; mouth
narrow, width 1.4-1.8 in preoral snout and 6.1-7.2%
TL; posterior branch of black marking above
V usually very narrow ........................................ E. brachyurus
5b Body rather stout, height at P origins 9.4-11.8% TL;
mouth broader, width 1.2-1.4 in preoral snout and
7.6-8.6% TL; posterior branch of flank marking
usually broad and short ............................................ E. lucifer
5.11 Etmopterus brachyurus
Smith & Radcliffe, 1912
Etmopterus brachyurus Smith & Raddiffe, 1912: 679, Fig. 2, PI. 52
(Philippines); Smith, SFSA No. 52* (in part); Bass et aI., 1976: 25 (in
part).
Dark grey above, black below. Males maturing at 24-29
cm and probably reaching at least 30 cm, females maturing
at 42 cm. A little-known species often confused with E.
lucifer, but definitely in our area in 420 - 430 m off the western Cape, Natal and southern Mozambique. Elsewhere
from the Philippines and possibly Bali and Australia.
5.12 Etmopterus granulosus
(Gunther, 1880)
Spinax granulosus Giinther, 1880: 19 (Chile). Etmopterus granulosus:
Smith, SFSA No. 50· (in part).
Dark grey above, black below. Males maturing between
26-56 cm, females immature at 45 cm. A poorly known
species said to occur in 366 - 1 464 m off Cape Point;
elsewhere from southern Argentina, Falklands, and southern Chile in water 220 - 637 m deep.
T
55
Dorsal fin spines well developed, with lateral grooves.
No precaudal pits. Upper C lobe usually with subterminal
notch, sometimes not. No keels or lateral ridges on caudal
peduncle. Small deep-water sharks with luminescent organs, characteristic dark markings on flanks above V and on
caudal peduncle. Several species, 6 known from our region.
The eastern Atlantic species Etmopterus spinax (Linnaeus)
has been reported from our area (Smith, SFSA No. 51*),
but we are unable to confirm its presence here.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Denticles on sides below 1st D flat, concave,
without any spine .................................................. E. pusillus
Ib Dentides on sides below 1st D with a definite spine .... ..... ......... 2
2a Two or 3 short rows of conspicuously enlarged
dentides on each side below 1st D; dentides with a
distinct concavity on their upper surface .................... E. sentosus
2b No conspicuous enlarged dentides on each side below 1st D;
dentides without any concavity on their upper surface ............... 3
3a Dentides in random arrangement, not in conspicuous
regular rows ............................................................... E. sp.
3b Dentides arranged in conspicuous, regular rows ...................... 4
4a Dentides on top of head not in longitudinal rows;
caudal pedunde short, length from 2nd D base to upper C
origin 0.9-1.1 times 2nd D base and 7.8-8.9% TL, length
from V base to lower C origin 2.1- 2.7 times height at
V base; black mark above V inner margins not extending in
front of V as a long narrow black bar ..................... E. granulosus
4b Dentides on top of head in longitudinal rows extending
to snout tip; caudal pedunde longer, length from 2nd
D base to upper C origin 1.2-2.1 times 2nd D base and
10.2-15.9% TL, length from V base to lower C origin
2.7-4.4 times height at V base; black mark above V inner
margins extending as a long narrow bar or line in front of V ........ 5
d
- ..L
5.11 Etmopterus brachyurus: 44 em female (off Saldanha). N, T & d as in 2.1.
5: SQUALIDAE (DOGFISHES)
5a Body slender, height at P origins 7.9-9.0% TL; mouth
narrow, width 1.4-1.8 in preoral snout and 6.1-7.2%
TL; posterior branch of black marking above
V usually very narrow ........................................ E. brachyurus
5b Body rather stout, height at P origins 9.4-11.8% TL;
mouth broader, width 1.2-1.4 in preoral snout and
7.6-8.6% TL; posterior branch of flank marking
usually broad and short ............................................ E. lucifer
5.11 Etmopterus brachyurus
Smith & Radcliffe, 1912
Etmopterus brachyurus Smith & Raddiffe, 1912: 679, Fig. 2, PI. 52
(Philippines); Smith, SFSA No. 52* (in part); Bass et aI., 1976: 25 (in
part).
Dark grey above, black below. Males maturing at 24-29
cm and probably reaching at least 30 cm, females maturing
at 42 cm. A little-known species often confused with E.
lucifer, but definitely in our area in 420 - 430 m off the western Cape, Natal and southern Mozambique. Elsewhere
from the Philippines and possibly Bali and Australia.
5.12 Etmopterus granulosus
(Gunther, 1880)
Spinax granulosus Giinther, 1880: 19 (Chile). Etmopterus granulosus:
Smith, SFSA No. 50· (in part).
Dark grey above, black below. Males maturing between
26-56 cm, females immature at 45 cm. A poorly known
species said to occur in 366 - 1 464 m off Cape Point;
elsewhere from southern Argentina, Falklands, and southern Chile in water 220 - 637 m deep.
T
55